Lodge Moor Playground

Having moved to the Sheffield neighbourhood of Lodge Moor earlier this year, I'm getting to know a new community. It would be good to find ways of using my photography to benefit this community. So I went to the South West Area Panel meeting on 26th November, at St Luke's Church. Met local councillors, as well as Hazel Fair, who does community liaison for the Hallam Community and Youth Association (HCYA). This was timely, as local playgrounds are topical on this side of Sheffield at the moment. Alongside the excitement at Endcliffe Park, there's been concern in Lodge Moor about a threat to the playground on the former hospital site, now the David Wilson estate. Since a public-access sports hall was lost to the new development, the planning authority placed an obligation on the new estate to provide a playground, mini football pitch and open space for public use. Now, the management company (the organisation of estate residents) has put in a planning application to be relieved of this obligation. Unsurprisingly, lots of people have objected to this. Comments are still being received on the council's website. As of today there were over 120 objections, together with a petition from 12 youngsters. It does seem perverse, as well as socially divisive, to deprive youngsters of opportunities for exercise in the beautiful upland surroundings of Redmires. The nearby Spider Park, established by HCYA, is so successful that it's often too busy for young children to use safely. The arguments against this planning application are put really well by Jennifer Hocking.

At the Area Panel meeting, strong feelings were expressed by members of the public against the threat to the playground. Although no residents of the new estate were present, the meeting was told that one reason for their wanting the obligation removed was the cost of repairs following vandalism. So a possible solution might be for the Council to help out with the maintenance costs.


On 2nd December, I learned that the application has now been withdrawn by the applicant. Good sense has prevailed, following the posting on the Council website of around 130 objections including a petition from a group of youngsters.