A packed public meeting has been assured that plans for all weather pitches and  licensed "clubhouse" at Bitterne Park School are “on hold until the community, governors and management give it the green light.”

Around 120 residents turned out on a Tuesday evening (August 12) to discuss fears that Playfootball will make further applications to build all weather pitches and a licensed “clubhouse” at Bitterne Park Secondary School. But residents were assured by Cllr Baillie that the scheme is now “on hold until the community, governors and management give it the green light.”

The meeting was organised by residents from Copsewood and Dell Roads, who were concerned about the planning application. They’d been advised by the local councillors to organise a community response. It went ahead despite Playfootball withdrawing its first planning application, in the belief that further applications are likely.

Alex Neill, a parent governor and resident campaigning against the idea, who was speaking in a personal capacity, stressed that it was not an anti-school meeting: “We want what’s best for the school and the community,” he said.

He acknowledged that building such a facility would bring some benefits: he said the company’s initial investment would probably be around Ł1.5 million, with the School getting an initial payment of around Ł100,000, and then Ł10,000 a year. But there would be significant annual operating costs which would have to be recouped to make the scheme worthwhile for the operator.

“You don’t make money just by renting out football pitches. It will come from a licensed sports bar and by hiring the facilities for corporate events, stag dos and the like. There is a real problem putting that on the School site,” he said.

He added that it would have a substantial impact on our lives with noise, traffic, and a bar in school: “It’s going to be a major change to the area.”

It was not healthy to accept no positive points, but do they outweigh the negatives, he asked?

‘Negatives’, outlined in more detail by Richard Webster and Paula Whistler, included loss of outlook for locals, floodlights until 10.30 nightly, and traffic (even though customers will apparently be encouraged to come to Bitterne Park School by train or bus) and parking issues in the area — especially for coaches. Over 2,000 visits a week are likely, and currently the School has 60-70 spaces. The last plans included provision for 20 more.

The issue of wildlife on the site was also raised: as well as 17 badger sets, there are bats on the site. The meeting was told work could not proceed if it’s shown they are roosting.

Paula Whistler concluded by urging residents to visit the Portsmouth facility operated by the same company to get a flavour of what might be to come. She said on the day they visited the “massive complex” the doors were open, and loud music was “thumping” from within. The meeting was also told that the last plans for Bitterne Park excluded air conditioning on sustainability grounds — so windows might well need to be opened to let air in, which might increase noise.

Bitterne Park Ward Councillor and Cabinet Member for Children’s Services Peter Baillie said the scheme had been brought to the Council by the School. The first mistake, he said, was that the governors appear not to have any idea about the plans. “Governor involvement needs to happen rapidly,” he said.

Cllr Baillie said that the consultation in the autumn “could have been more robust” as it did not involve the actual plans. In April, he said, the Cabinet gave the go-ahead for a draft lease, believing that the governors had approved the scheme.

He assured residents that the lease of the school land to PlayFootball will not be signed unless the school governors and the community agree to the development.

 

“I have also said the community needs to have an input, with the governors and senior school managers, into the next set of plans,” said Cllr Baillie. “It’s on hold till the community, governors and management give it the green light.”

The floor was opened for comment, questions and input into the community response. All speakers were critical of the idea. Surprise was particularly expressed that a tender to build pitches and licensed premises within a school [external link currently not working] had been raised for a council owned site.

“Why didn’t the council say ‘don’t do that’? But the council invited the facility,” said one speaker.

And Rev. Sarah Chapman, from the Church of the Ascension and a School community governor, said she was baffled that a licensed bar was contemplated for school premises where there is not even a sixth form.

Residents now hope governors will agree not to approve any development proposal that includes a third-party owned and operated bar on the School site.

If that happens, they say the community can focus on exploring what kind of development would be both appropriate for the school and the area, and a genuine resource for both the school and the community.

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• Residents are being asked to write letters to the school governing body and to sign a petition for the governors stating their objection to the proposed development.

If you want to add your own objections to the school governing body, you can do so by post by writing to:

Angela Whettingsteel
Chair of the Governing Body
Bitterne Park School
1 Copsewood Road
Southampton
SO18 1BU

… or by e-mail by sending your message to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., making it clear that the message is for the school governors, so it can be passed on.

If you would like any further information about this campaign, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Please DON’T send your message to this website, but use the campaign email address above: many thanks!