What is PRECIOUS
PRECIOUS is a group that has been formed by members of the local community to better understand Wandsworth Council’s proposal to develop the Triangle area of Tooting Common. PRECIOUS because our natural, open green spaces are very precious to those who use them regularly and because it’s an acronym that represents growing concern nationally at the insidious erosion of precious green spaces in our cities - Protecting the Rural Environment in our Community and In Our Urban Spaces.
Wandsworth Council says there is high demand for 12 new, all-weather, floodlit five-a-side football pitches on Tooting Common and we’d like to try and find out whether this is really true. So please feedback - use the comment tag below and let us know what you think.
December 4th, 2007 at 9:12 pm
I haven’t talked to anyone who supports the idea but then again I haven’t talked to any footballers. Presumably, instead of paying their couple of quid to play they will have to pay commercial rates to book fancy pitches so even they may not be all that keen.
What happens to the regular weekend cricket team who play there?
If there is such demand for pitches why doesn’t the Council make much use of the existing hard pitch at the Triangle which is hardly ever used and if you make enquiries about booking it (I’ve tried there isn’t even anyone at the Town Hall who knows what you are talking about)?
Wandsworth already has vast sporting facilities at Barn Elms.
Is it really financially viable for the Council to develop it in this way, apart from anything they have major drainage problems to deal with?
Most of all, can’t we keep one bit of Common free of football for others to enjoy at the weekends when the whole of the rest of it is full of footballers.
I could go on and on but the gist of it is, yes, I would like to save the Common.
February 21st, 2008 at 1:52 pm
I understand people want to play sport on the common but does it always have to involve football? My son doesn’t like football as he prefers rugby. I walk my dog on this part of the common at weekends because the Dr Johnson area of common is usually covered with football teams and lots of food left lying around not to mention the rubbish left afterwards (which we have to pay to be cleared up, no doubt). My family want free space and as the point has already been made about the all weather pitch not being used, because there is no demand for it.
I spoke to a young man setting up for football one weekend and he couldn’t see the point of this development either on this part of the common. I regularly walk or cycle around the commons and it is just good to see nature.
The point about Barn Elms’ space is that there was an article recently about the land being sold there to refurbish the clubhouse at Barn Elms. What next? No wonder children are becoming obese and unhealthy. They need free space to run free and not to have to pay every time they play a game.
Isn’t common land for everyone to use? Not just for the council to make a quick buck out of us?