Setting the record straight on the Teddington school all weather pitch

4.27.57pm GMT Mon 19th Feb 2007

Statement by Cllr Stephen Knight: "Firstly, there are no "leaked documents" as Councillor Arbour claims.

In fact both the ecological report and the ecology officer's memo were

provided to Cllr Arbour on request by the Director of Environment. To

claim these were "leaked" when they were openly made available by the

council is simply a dishonest attempt at sensationalism. The second

factual error is that Cllr Arbour claims that the council "has applied

for planning permission" for an all-weather surface on the Langdon Park

pitch. This is similarly not true. We made it clear at the Cabinet

meeting on 15th January that we will not apply for planning permission

until we have properly consulted residents and had a chance to consider

the environmental impact of the proposal.

"We have always been committed to maintaining two all-weather pitches as

part of the re-building of Teddington School and sports centre and the

DfES funding was provided on this basis. In fact, Cllr Arbour was

leader of the then Conservative controlled council at the time this

proposal was first agreed. These pitches are extremely well used both

by the school and by numerous local sports teams, including Teddington

Hockey Club. Due to the constraints of the site, the new school

buildings will have to be built on one of the existing pitches and

therefore a replacement pitch is needed nearby, at least while the

building is in process, which will take about two years.

"We are looking at all possible sites for re-locating the Astroturf

pitch and the existing mown grass pitch at Langdon Park looked like a

good option. It has always been designated as a sports/recreation pitch

and is adjacent to the school. Our preliminary ecological report didn't

throw up any problems, but subsequent evidence has been presented about

badgers living nearby using the pitch for foraging.

"Clearly we will need to get proper advice on this issue and assess the

ecological impact of putting the all weather surface down at alternative

sites, such as the recreation ground before we decide how to proceed.

We have no intention of doing anything that will harm the viability of

the badger colony on the former Normansfield site."

Cllr Stephen Knight

Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Resources