The Southampton Commons and Parks Protection Society (SCAPPS) has asked the council to consider purchasing some or all of the former St Mary’s School playing fields, where there’s an application to build housing.
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As reported (including here and then here), plans were lodged by Sovereign Housing Association – originally in September 2022 – to build 84 dwellings on part of the former school grounds.
The scheme, which has received vocal opposition on various issues, has yet to come before the council’s planning committee.
Graham Linecar, left, on behalf of SCAPPS, told the council’s ancient Court Leet when it held its annual outing on October 3: “We all know access to green space contributes to mental and physical wellbeing. Southampton’s population is growing. It does not seem to SCAPPS sufficient is being done to find new public greenspace, or to securing more equal access to parks and greenspaces across the city.
“It’s difficult to find new greenspace to match increasing homes, but we’d like the city council to try harder”.
He added that SCAPPS is “disappointed” that, in the light of the current planning application for the site the council had not so far considered acquiring all or part of it to improve local access to greenspace.
He concluded: “My presentment asks the city council to consider acquiring the site to make good a deficiency in this part of the city in access to level, grassed open space.”
The court advised that it couldn’t go too far into individual applications. The jury accepted the presentment for further consideration by the council