Last week we published a story from local residents about their concerns over Udney Park.

You can find that article HERE

Here is the response of the Thamesians RFC chairman Jonathan Dunn

I read the comments of a resident local to Udney Park (Ian Butcher). It appears that his concerns relate to retaining Udney Park as sports fields rather than the potential impact of building luxury apartments over much of the 12.5 acre site.

I have to point out that it is ninety years or so since these fields were bequeathed as sports playing fields by Lord Beaverbrook, so their use as such should not come as surprise to anyone who has chosen to live nearby.

Presumably Mr Butcher would acknowledge that the environmental impact of building on these fields in order to provide luxury private flats would be far greater than retaining the land as playing fields.

The business plan of The Charitable Trust that proposes to buy the fields can be found at -HERE

Hopefully in reading this many of Mr Butchers fears will be allayed. The first page of the business plan clearly states the following -

'The Trust will enter in to full and open discussions with local residents during the consultation period after purchase to ensure all concerns are taken in to account in respect of heritage issues surrounding the pavilion, ecological considerations, extent of car parking, the introduction of a play area, the provision of outbuildings for equipment, limitations to the use of floodlights and extent of light spillage from proposed apparatus.'

It is rather too soon to have these consultations as the fields remain in the ownership of the private developer, Quantum, and so no purchase is on the immediate horizon.

Regarding the floodlights the current temporary floodlights are indeed a nuisance. These run on noisy generators and are first generation with considerable light spillage.

This will be addressed in any proposal for a future lighting plan, and hours of use will be limited. As for car parking the Charitable Trust's business plan proposes off street parking for 54 cars.

All of this detail needs fleshing out but the time to do so is if and when Quantum agree to sell the land. In the meantime unfortunately the fields remain out of public use and a wonderful facility is being wasted.