Decision to be made as residents battle Peterborough school over use of recreation ground

A decision is set to be made over whether a section of Thorpe Lea Meadows will remain under the control of West Town Primary School or be reopened as public space.

In 2018, the primary school took control of the eastern side of the rec to form two closed sports pitches, a running track and a supporting modular building that acts as a classroom, changing facilities and toilets. The site is fenced off by a 2.4m high fence and mostly screened trees.

The facilities formed part of the relocation, expansion and rebuild of the school in 2016. There are no grass playing fields on the school site.

On the school’s behalf, Peterborough City Council has now submitted an application to continue the use of the site for five more years.

Officers have recommended the application be approved but the decision has been called into the planning committee by Central ward Cllr Mohammed Jamil due to a “lack of justification for continued use.”

Among those to object to the application have been Thorpe Gate Residents Association.

The association said: “The original permission contained the condition that the field would be restored to public use and the building removed after five years

"The field is used in limited occasions over the last years and raises questions about the established need for physical activities.

“Had the field still been available to public, it would have been used hundreds of times by local people. Significant loss to the community has proved to be little to no use to the school.

"The field adjacent was previously for a biodiversity area and is now lost to accommodate the playing field and relocated goal posts. The proposal has destroyed an area of great biodiversity and ecological value.”

In its justification in the original application, a representative from West Town Primary School said: “The mobile was originally granted planning permission in 2018.

"It was subsequently installed and provides the school with toilets, changing facilities and a classroom space for exclusive use by the school when accessing the school playing field at Thorpe Lea Meadows off Vermont Grove, a short walk from the school site on Midland Road.

“The mobile facilities are an essential part of the off-site provision to enable the school to deliver the PE curriculum and ensure their children have access to toilets and changing facilities in proximity to the playing fields.”

The decision will be made by the city council’s Planning and Environmental Protection Committee on Tuesday (June 27, 1:30pm).