I WOULD like to reassure Mr Pritchard (letters 15 March) and your readers that Marsh Tenants and Residents Association does not support Willow Lane School's decision to exclude the public from the playing fields. We were not even consulted on this decision.
It is disheartening for us to have worked hard to improve play facilities on one side of the road, only for the school to exclude the public from existing recreation areas. If we had been asked, we would have objected, as the fields have been used by generations of young people and are the largest available space on the estate. Keeping people out is likely to cause resentment in the community and will not help to build respect amongst young people. There is a second issue to consider. New classrooms are soon to be built on the field, reducing it in size. When the old school is demolished next year the County Council will consider selling the site and playgrounds - which have always been available to local children outside school hours - for development. We are fighting to ensure that at least as much open space remains available to local people once the new school opens as has always been the case in the past.
Jonathan Sear
Vice-Chairman
Marsh Tenants & Residents' Association
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