Update to Opposition to Lincoln Rugby Club Mobilises - Update 3, Opposition to Lincoln Rugby Club Mobilises - Update 2, Opposition to Lincoln Rugby Club Mobilises - Update and Opposition to the Lincoln Rugby Club Mobilises.Readers of this blog will be aware of the Lincoln Rugby Football Club's intention to develop a site on Lodge Lane. An ad-hoc meeting of local residents was held at the Village Hall, Brookfield, Nettleham at 7:30pm on Tuesday, 3rd November 2009 on the matter of the Rugby Club plan.
It is understood that over two hundred people attended. The man who convened the meeting was a Mr. Steve Perkins, a local resident who lives near the proposed site on the poacher's meadow development. Mr. Perkins is reported to have said he was trying to be even handed about the issue but critics suggest his comments were those of a man opposed to the proposal. To Mr. Perkins credit he certainly was very effective in getting people to attend, even if his presentational style was not too good, unfortunately several people walked out after a about twenty minutes.
The meeting had a very lively atmosphere and on a number of occasions Cllr. John Evens, attending of the Parish Council's behalf, provided clarifications and explained to his best ability the Parish Councils position.
A number of key points were raised during the meeting by the residents.
1. The issue of noise pollution which does not seem to have been covered in the proposal in any detail, deciduous trees will eventually reduce noise as they mature, but this is only when the are in leaf during the summer months, not winter when rugby is played.
2. The issue of traffic turning out of Lodge Lane.
3. Planning creep; the potential for future change of use for residential use.
4. The current West Lindsey District Council Planning Notification states that residents should register any concerns by the Wednesday, 11th November 2009. Ian Dickinson at the district council's planning services has said that submission will be accepted up to the meeting of the Planning Committee on Wednesday, 6th January 2010.
6. It was observed that the Extraordinary Parish Council Meeting in held in July, which resulted in a poor turnout, could have been publicised more widely. Local residents reported that not many people knew about the meeting on Wednesday, 25th November 2009 until Mr. Perkins notices which were hand delivered to homes in Nettleham. It was felt that putting up notices throughout the village was not sufficient.
7. Those present were asked to complete a short questionnaire indicating there support or opposition to the proposal. After the meeting closed at around 9:00pm Mr. Perkins indicated that around 92% of respondents attending the meeting were against the proposal.
What is clear following this meeting is that interest in this issue has been galvanized. The Parish Council has therefore decided to move the venue of their meeting to the larger Village Hall for the meeting on Wednesday, 25th November 2009.
A video package of the public meeting organised by local resident Mr. Steve Perkins on 3rd November 2009 is available here.
