1 November 2018
Green councillors in Norwich have expressed dismay over the city council planning department’s recommendation for approval for three all-weather courts which would lead to the loss of grass tennis at historic Heigham Park. A decision will be made at the Planning Applications Committee on Thursday 8th November.
Denise Carlo, Green Party councillor for Nelson ward, who has a background in historic landscape conservation said:
“In my view the planning report doesn’t adequately convey the damaging impact of all-weather courts and loss of grass courts on the historic integrity of Heigham Park, which is on the national register of parks and gardens for its special interest. The Gardens Trust, the sole statutory consultee, the Norfolk Gardens Trust and the Heritage Impact Assessment report all consider that the scheme would have a negative impact on the park and the Council would be unwise to ignore their views”.
Denise Carlo added:
“It is incomprehensible that the Council has dismissed the offer from the Heigham Park Grass Courts Group to take on the maintenance and running of the grass tennis courts at the same time that it is encouraging the community to get involved in looking after parks and open spaces. Instead, the Council wants to spend thousands of council tax money on developing expensive all-weather courts in a ward in which the level of deprivation is the second lowest in Norwich and where there is strong opposition from residents to all-weather courts. The Council should re-direct this money to projects that people actually want, particularly in more deprived areas of the city where there is more need.”
