Local developments

18/P0183 - Beverley Meads Playing Fields

Artificial Grass Pitches on Beverley Meads Playing Fields? 

A planning application has been lodged by Wimbledon Rugby Club to install artificial grass pitches on the public open space and Metropolitan Open land that currently form the sports grounds of Beverley Meads and Drax that adjoin Fishpond Woods and Wimbledon Common.  

The application which includes a concrete base for the grass, asphalt hard standing for spectators, a two-metre high bund around the application area, a 1.5 metre white picket fence, as well as more floodlighting has outraged many residents living in the adjoining, mostly privately maintained roads. 

Objectors point out that apart from the blot on the landscape that this proposal implies, the increased usage (10.00-21.00 hrs on weekdays and 10.00-20.00 at the weekends) will put intolerable pressure on the surrounding roads, as there is insufficient parking provision already; as well as considerable intrusion into their own right to some peaceful enjoyment of their surroundings. 

It will be interesting to see how the Council will react to the pressures from significant bodies such as the RFU and Sports England for approval.  To residents, it simply smacks of over-commercialisation and despoilment of public open space. 

Details of the application and associated documents can be found on Planning Explorer by going to www.merton.gov.uk/Planning, inputting planning application number 18/P0183 and clicking on that number again, when the details come up.