Protest over fields and car park sell-off
A CAMPAIGN has been launched to fight plans to sell off playing fields and a car park.
Cheshire East Council is hoping to sell the former infants school site connected to Vernon Primary School in Poynton.
Football club Richmond Rovers claim hundreds of children will be left with nowhere to play while parents with children at the school claim the move with create traffic chaos because parents use the car park to drop their kids off
Campaigners are now urging residents to oppose the plans before the deadline for objections on Friday, July 17.
Parent Kirsty Keogh said the car park - which has space for 30 vehicles - is essential.
She said: “Walking to school is bad enough at the moment. Parents park in nearby residential streets and mount the curb to give cars more room to pass. But that makes it dangerous for pedestrians.
“It can be mayhem during the morning rush hour. People trying to get to work get impatient because the road is blocked and they can make rash judgements as they try and squeeze past parked cars or swerve to avoid oncoming traffic.
“In the middle of all this, children are making a dash for it across the road to school. If we lose the car park, it will just get worse. It’s an accident waiting to happen.”
Campaigners argue that the alternative car park near Waitrose is too busy at peak times.
From September, pressure for parking.will increase as Vernon Primary takes in 60 children to its Reception Year for the first time.
Parent Beki Lancaster said: “Vernon School is getting bigger and so is Poynton. Where will all the extra people park? You can’t just get rid of a car park and not expect consequences.
“The impact of losing this much-need village facility is more farreaching than the simple inconvenience of finding somewhere else to park.”
Mike Cash, chairman of Richmond Rovers FC said: “Losing the fields will be disastrous for us and the hundreds of children and amateur footballers who love playing on them and have done so for over 20 years. If this site was sold, it’s hard to see where we would go instead.”
Vernon Primary School and Poynton Town Council has already raised its objections with the council. Cheshire East Council did not not responded to a request for a comment. Those wishing to object to the proposal should email steven. plack@cheshireeast.gov.uk