PLANS to expand changing rooms and install fencing at a Merthyr Tydfil sports field have led to concerns from residents over their ability to access an open space for recreational use.
The plan for Mountain Hare rugby and football fields in Pantyffyn Road includes extending the existing changing rooms to provide a gym and ladies changing facilities, a new boundary fence to the lower pitch and high ball fencing.
Councillor David Jones has requested that this application be reported to committee to consider the impact of the proposal on local residents’ use of the recreational area.
There have been 16 letters of objection sent to the council in relation to this application.
They say that there is limited open and accessible space for local residents to use with areas being lost in recent years and that the fencing on the top field is a concern as the gates have been locked preventing access to the public.
They have concerns about the fencing of the lower field which may also restrict access to it for the general public adding that the field is used for informal recreation including exercise, dog walking and as a space for children to play.
They say its loss would impact on the mental health and well-being of residents and that it would also result in residents having to drive to other areas of open space, which impacts on pollution levels.
They also said that the parking of cars during training and matches is a concern with cars being parked on private land and blocking gates and they add that the extension of the changing room would cause more traffic issues.
Other concerns are that parking would affect emergency vehicle access, fencing would be an eyesore, fencing would impact on property values, there would be a loss of view across the fields and that the area is identified as a high risk area by the Coal Authority and there is already a sink hole near to the proposed site which is not currently fenced off.
But council planning officers are recommending that councillors approve the application.
They said that the proposal would introduce improved facilities to the open space, which would increase its potential use and the extensions to the changing rooms would only be built on a small part of the open space with the majority of the space retained.
They acknowledge that the proposal includes the erection of fencing to enclose the lower field nut said that the enclosure of the land can be done without planning permission and is therefore outside of planning control.
Officers also acknowledged that the fencing would include gates and residents have raised concerns about the public access to the fields.
But they said that although not controlled by the planning authority, it is understood that there is a clause within the lease agreement to maintain public access, which is to be uninterrupted outside of match and practice times.
They also said that it is not considered that the elements of the proposal that require permission would as a whole adversely impact on the character or visual amenities of the site itself or the wider area.
Officers said that the proposal would not impact on the existing car parking area which would remain unaltered and that while it is recognised that it would provide additional facilities including a gym, this would be for club members only.
They said that it is not envisaged that additional facilities would result in an increase in parking demand above that typically expected during training sessions or indeed during a match.
The planning report says that the application site falls within an area defined as being at high risk from past coal mining activities and The Coal Authority records indicate that the site is likely to have been subjected to historic unrecorded underground shallow coal mining and it also lies within a surface coal resource zone.
A coal mining risk assessment was submitted with the application which identifies the site as an area of probable shallow coalmine workings but it said that none of the shallow coal seams underlying the site are recorded to have been worked in the local area and the report said that The Coal Authority are satisfied with the conclusions of the assessment.
Planning officers said that concerns raised in respect of the potential impact on property values and the loss of views are not material planning considerations and have not been given any weight in the assessment of this application.
The application will be considered by Merthyr Tydfil Council’s planning, regulatory and licensing committee on Wednesday, September 11.
