New plans could bring end to six-year-old row

Peterborough City Council has unveiled new measures it hopes will resolve a dispute over the use of Werrington Fields.

The council intends to transfer the land used as playing fields by Ken Stimpson Academy to the school under a lease.

The local authority also plans to install a fence around the site, which is known widely as Area C, so pupils can again take part in outdoor sports.

The council’s ruling Cabinet will also be asked at a meeting on July 16 to support the measures and approve the creation of a Community Use Agreement with the academy to protect use of the land by the local community and sports groups.

The action is set out in a report to the Cabinet which lists three options for councillors, which are to do nothing, fence the entire area of land known as Area C, or to fence part of it.

The report highlights letters from professionals who have expressed concern at children using the playing fields without a fence and notes that children at the academy have not been using the open space for several years, due to safeguarding concerns.

The report also states that the area of land proposed is consistent in size with the minimum recommended outside space required for a school based on its number of pupils.

Cabinet members will also be asked to agree to pay for the cost of the fence and its installation.

John Gregg, the council’s executive director of children’s services, said: “Cabinet members will fully consider this matter and that will include the views of the residents, both those who want it to remain open and those who agree it should be fenced, along with the views of the academy who express in very clear terms the need for the field to be fenced to ensure the safety of their pupils.

“It is also important to remember that the council has to consider this from two perspectives, one as landowner, but more importantly as the local education authority and with that comes an onus to make sure children are safe and can receive a full and proper education.

“The academy has made it very clear that it wants the entire Area C fencing, land which is allocated for educational use and cannot be changed. This will allow it to offer the full curriculum to children, and through a Community Use Agreement, allow the community to use the area outside of school hours to support year-round organised community sporting activities in a safe and controlled environment.”

The report highlights that planning permission is not required for the fence or for an alleged change of use as permitted development rights allow a six-foot fence to be erected on land that does not front a highway, without any need for planning permission.

In addition, the principle planning use of the land is still educational land; this has not changed even though the community has been using the land.

The proposals have been unveiled following a review of the dispute called for by former council leader Cllr Mohammed Farooq in March.