A public meeting on Saturday 6 February 2016, at the United Reformed Church in Cokeham Road, Sompting, organised by Tim Loughton MP and Sompting Conservatives, to discuss the proposed 3G pitch at the Sir Robert Woodard Academy (SRWA), inevitably turned out to be a lively affair.
Dozens of local residents, mostly from streets neighbouring the school, attended the meeting, which was organised after a recent ‘Talk to Tim’ public meeting – a new series of public meetings taking place around the constituency hosted by Tim Loughton MP – in Sompting, where a number of residents complained that they were not being properly consulted about the scheme.
As a result of these concerns being raised, Tim and Sompting Conservatives organised this further public meeting specifically to address the concerns resident had with the 3G pitch. Tim also arranged for the Academy to hold further drop-in consultation sessions to explain the project to local residents, distributed details of the planning application in an ‘In Touch’ community leaflet and arranged for the planning consultation period to be extended to the end of this week (Friday 12 February 2016). The planning application is now unlikely to come before Adur’s planning Committee before 14 March 2016 at the earliest.
The meeting was attended by Leader of Adur Council, Cllr Neil Parkin, Cabinet member, Cllr Dave Simmons, who is also chairman of governors at SRWA, Lancing Councillor, Carol Albury, and Sompting Councillor, Brian Boggis.
Tim commented:
“Inevitably, this was a heated meeting, as many residents felt they have not been properly kept in the loop about this whole process, which could impact on their local community.
“I think the application could have been handled better. However it is up to ward councillors to make sure that their residents are made aware of such schemes and how they can register any objections. Clearly, this has not happened in Sompting. No Sompting councillors attended meetings or voted against the proposals when they were raised on several occasions, and agreed at Adur District Council, as far back as 2014. That is unfortunate and that is why I was keen to give constituents as much information now and guide them as to how they could object and what grounds would register most strongly.
“Sompting Conservatives will continue to feed through information about the application to local residents and have also taken away a number of main issues raised at the meeting to discuss with the school and Council.
“I was frustrated that a number of people have been going round saying this is all ‘a done deal’ when it is clear that there are a number of aspects to the scheme that need to be altered for it to have less impact if the proposal is to go through. I was also able to counter head-on some of the misinformation that has been flying around about this being some sort of profit making venture by the Academy, particularly given that they are forbidden – by law – from making a profit.
“I was also keen to distinguish between concerns specifically regarding the 3G pitch and more general traffic concerns, as the latter is a problem regardless of whether the pitch goes ahead and are now the subject of joint working between SRWA, the Globe Academy, councillors and the Highways Department, and a local Travel Plan, which is currently being drawn up.
“Clearly the impact of noise from matches and the proposed operating hours are of prime concern and there are some serious assurances that need to be secured there. Residents also raised issues around human rights, how the community use arrangements will be worked out subject to a Community Use Agreement, ecological reports and drainage implications. As usual I will try to make as many details as possible fully available through my website and social media.”