Yet again the council is seeking to take a part of Queens Park – albeit for a very good purpose in this case to build a care home for old people.
Last time they took a large chunk of this park and gave it to the NHS to build the (excellent) new hospital. The city council gave that away, and left the valuable old hospital site with the NHS to be sold for flats.
This time the council wants a “free” site for an (excellent) care home.
By the way this site was picked and taken to the executive committee of the council with no local consultation this elected member found out about it when the agenda came out – a few days before the meeting.
This is the only place the Southside Festival can be held – Queens park proper has mine workings that make any large scale gathering problematic. The green connection between Queens park and the Recreation ground could be severed. The right of way a problem for the plans, as is the “common good” status of the parkland, and the city plan zoning as open space.
In my discussions with those responsible for implementing the decision to build on parkland (which was taken today at the Executive committee of the council) I have made them aware of these issues. They promise to consult about detail, and put some money in the rest of the park to “compensate” for taking green from one of the cities most densely built up wards!