Passionate letter from neighbours appeals to school governors to pause as they prepare to controversially fence off public sports field

The emotive letter has been sent to governors of the Ken Stimpson Community School, which had plans approved in March by Peterborough City Council to fence off the neighbouring green space because of safeguarding concerns for pupils.

The public land, off Staniland Way is used by the school for sports activities but has been open for community use for decades. However, in its application the school stated the site was: “uncontrollable, which poses risks to students during physical education activities.”

The scheme includes erecting 2.4 metre weldmesh fences surrounding three pitches, blocking in 46,000 square metres of green space, but residents would still be able to book time on the fields out of school hours.

Headteacher Ken Erwin has explained that PE lessons currently have to use the land outside the school fenced perimeter, warning: “It should not be accepted that it is tolerable to place young people and staff on a daily basis to uncertainty of danger, nor is it sufficient to claim the school can mitigate all potential risks through any day-to-day management of them.”

But as the school prepares to finally erect the fence, campaigners in Werrington still see it as little more than a ‘land grab’.

In their letter to governors, the 151 neighbours - many parents themselves - say public access will be restricted when they need it more than ever and claimed that, to add insult to injury, the public will be charged for the use of it.

They appealed: “We ask you to pause and think again.

“As you get ready to forever change how this area looks and feels with your 2.4 metre high obstruction made from the material used for prison fences, we ask you to pause and think again.

“As you arrange to deface one of the most beautiful tree-lined avenues in the city, a view that would have been protected in the neighbourhood plan, a vista that brings peace and joy, we ask you to pause and think again.”

They asked governors to spend the “tens of thousands in public money” on where it is really needed, rather than the fence.

As they accused the governors of not proving a need for the fencing and not looking for other solutions, the letter concludes: “We question, for the first time, whether we can call you a neighbour at all.”