‘We just want to be heard’: Residents to hold event against Daventry playing field sell off plan

Residents have objected to the draft plans to build 150 homes on the green space as they wish to keep it “open” and “free.”

Elizabeth Scott and Judith Morris have set up a Facebook group in protest, which has reached more than 1,200 members since it was created on September 14.

People have been voicing their opposition and posting images of them using the playing field, which is a popular recreation spot.

Judith, who has been living in Daventry since 1989, said: “It's value as an open space is huge.

“We're living in a more and more urban environment, and for me particularly, I find that I need access to green space to maintain my mental health, not to mention my physical health.”

Eastern Way playing field is currently used for the weekly parkrun, occasional visits from the circus, and community activities such as walking and picnics.

“The number of people who are supporting us now all say that they use the field in a way that feels quite sort of liberating and free.

“It's close enough to the town to be accessible for a lot of people, but even if you're just driving past it or walking past it, it really is uplifting to see green in a town,” said Judith.

The new master plan proposes “improvements” to the town centre, including two development sites in Eastern Way and Ashby Road.

It states there will be "a wide range of homes for town centre living” “to support the housing needs of the town’s varied demographic."

The council said it wants to use the income from 150 houses being built on the Eastern Way site to fund other improvements to the town.

“I think the people at WNC don't quite understand.

“We haven't allowed for enough green space. (...) These other cities and towns are actually looking to find places where they can create green; well, we don't need to have it created because we already have it, and that is why we do not want it developed,” said Judith.

Members of the ‘Eastern Way Playing Field - keep it GREEN’ Facebook group plan to gather on Sunday, October 20, from 2.30pm, in Eastern Way playing field to express their disapproval of the council's draft master plan, which was made public in the spring.

Talking about the group’s members, Elizabeth Scott, who has been living in Daventry for more than seven years, said: “People are joining very rapidly, obviously, and a lot of them are introducing themselves, which is nice.

“They don't want to see that green space developed. They want to keep it open and free.”

Judith added: “I would vote every time for the green space, and we're not the only two people who think that way. Lots of people are in agreement with us on that.

“It's quite astonishing that we've got so many people in the group.”

About 100 people attended a public meeting on September 7, which Daventry West Councillor Wendy Randall convened to discuss the sell-off. The meeting was attended by a council spokesperson and the local MP, Stuart Andrew.

The council's cabinet member for local economy, Cllr Daniel Lister, attended the meeting and supported the sell-off proposal. However, he stated that the sell-off would not proceed if the majority of residents opposed it.

“I would like to believe that it is really true,” said Judith.

Daventry Banksie, whose sign-making effort attracted national attention and prompted the council to fill in a number of potholes, has made a few new signs to express her discontent. She said to this newspaper: “I thought once again the council weren't listening to the residents of Daventry, so I've got to come back out of hiding.

“I am a huge advocate of affordable social housing being built; that's what Daventry needs, but just not in green spaces.”

A WNC spokesperson told this newspaper: “It is widely acknowledged by all political parties that there is a housing shortage both nationally and locally. The Local Plan sets out the housing need and the infrastructure required to support this.”

In the near future, Elizabeth and Judith want to launch a poster campaign that will be displayed on private property and in local shopfronts.

“We need to prove to the council that there is a majority of people in Daventry who do not want the field developed in any way. (...) We just want to be heard.

“We will be expecting as many people as we can possibly squeeze into that field. We want people to show the love that they have for that space,” said Judith.

A WNC spokesperson said: “Although Daventry has pockets of deprivation, unfortunately it doesn’t qualify for current government funding. Although we are exploring various funding options, one way of funding elements of the masterplan is using all the proceeds from the sale of the Eastern Way and Ashby Road.

“Potentially developing the land will help finance the aims of the masterplan, although this would be prioritised as the benefits set out would be greater in value than the land would be worth.”

According to the WNC spokesperson, while consultations are ongoing and the date is not yet set, no decision has been made to endorse the masterplan.

Take a look below at photographs of the Facebook group members in the Eastern Way playing field.