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Gunthorpe: Public meeting on school fence plans
A PUBLIC meeting has been held to discuss controversial plans to build a security fence around Norwood Primary School playing field in Peterborough.
A PUBLIC meeting has been held to discuss controversial plans to build a security fence around Norwood Primary School playing field in Peterborough.More than 150 residents living near the school, in Gunthorpe Road, Peterborough, along with parents and carers attended the meeting last night to express their views about the proposed replacement to the current wooden fence which borders the school.
The plans have been put forward by Peterborough City Council and the school following persistent littering and dog fouling as well as incidents of horses roaming and strangers walking across the field during PE classes and children's playtime.
Assistant directors of children's services Mel Collins and Jonathan Lewis officially launched the public consultation period for people to have their say on the plans to install fencing which would stand between 1.2 metres and two metres tall.
Residents can also comment on the fence's style and whether it is positioned around the entire playing field, which is currently 15,000 sq metres in size, or if it should be reduced to either 8,000 sq metres or 7,600 sq metres. The rest of the land would be set aside for community use. Annie Gill (38), of Fulbridge Road, Walton, said: "My eldest daughter plays for the girls' football team and there have been numerous occasions when practice has been cancelled because of dog and horse mess.
"The council and the school are offering the residents a win win situation by giving them a significant piece of land."
Helen Buxton (42), of Borrowdale Close, Gunthorpe said: "The fence in place is not adequate. Residents' concerns are aesthetic when we should be thinking about the safety of the children."
James Gilbert (48), of Elter Walk, said: "I have lived here for 20 years and there has never been an issue with the school needing a fence. I don't want to be looking out of my living room window at a fence."
A planning application was originally submitted to planners in June 2009 to erect a two-metre high fence in Elter Walk bordering the school's playing field.
Residents launched a protest petition to stop the "prison-like" fences from being built and the application was refused. In November, headteacher Deborah Reynolds renewed the bid to have a new fence, saying not having a secure fence caused "major safeguarding issues for the school" and would be highlighted in any future Ofsted inspection. The deadline for responses is February 15. Visit www.peterborough.gov.uk to submit a comment.
Related:
Meeting to discuss Gunthorpe school fence concerns, 16 January 2010.
New plans to fence off Gunthorpe school fields, 27 November 2009.
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Wednesday 23 May 2012
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