A REPORT into the feasibility of refurbishing the playground on Chippenham Mead in Monmouth has been slammed by groups claiming that a better solution would be to create a new one at the other end of the park.

The recommendations from author Mike Moran, a Community Infrastructure Coordinator with Monmouthshire County Council (MCC) will be discussed by MCC’s cabinet on 7th February. They include the refurbishment of the present Chippenham Mead play area with a price tag of £102k, paid for by infrastructure levies from housing developers; 106 monies.

But at a meeting of Monmouth Town Council on Monday night, (15th January) groups such as the Friends of Chippenham Mead and Transition Monmouth criticised the report as being an “inaccurate balance” of the facts and said that the MCC decision-making process is “not within a legal framework”.

Town councillors opened up their meeting for members of the public and interested parties to have their say over whether to refurbish the present playground, said to have been around since the 1960s, or create a new “visionary and future-proof” one in a more visible location close to the Waitrose end of the village green, known as

Area C.

The meeting began with Mike Moran explaining why he is making those recommendations to MCC. He said there were “a number of factors” why he came to his conclusions, one of those was that MCC has a “legal duty to protect and maintain the Village Green status of the park”. Refurbishing the present park does not require planning permission and village green consent (VGC) is not required.

If a new park is created, both planning and village green consent would have to be sought, which would mean the council applying to the Welsh Government for the go-ahead, a process he warned was very time-consuming and would involve a public enquiry if objections are lodged.

He also warned that although some statutory consulters such as Natural Resources Wales, CADW and the Heritage Officer have said they would not comment until a planning application is made, the Open Spaces Society have given a strong indication that they would object. MCC would then have to employ barristers as a public enquiry would be launched.

Letters of objection have already been received from residents at Chippenham Court fearing a misuse of the park after dark.

Catherine Ashby spoke on behalf of The Friends of Chippenham Mead.

Catherine Ashby dismissed the report saying it “does not present a balanced options appraisal of refurbishment vs relocation” and that the report contained “no reasoned justification in reaching its conclusion – it’s a ‘leap of faith’.

The friends group considered it an inadequate document for town councillors and MCC to reach a “balanced and informed decision”

She was supported by Vivien Mitchell from Transition Monmouth who urged councillors not to be distracted by bureaucracy or funding deadlines.

Mrs Barbara Wright spoke for the Civic Society and said the present play area was “most unpleasant” and said the noise and the smell was quite appalling”

Tim and Kirstie Buckland, residents close to the park, spoke in favour of the refurbishment proposal saying that the old and new locations are on a registered village green and subject to all the laws and regulations that apply to such protected spaces.

Ian Chandler, another local resident said that he was “disappointed with the report and process that Mr Moran has gone through” saying it was “spurious and one-sided”.

After the chairman, Councillor Felicity Cotton, had given everybody a chance to speak, councillors then discussed the options before them.

But the proposal by Cllr Kelly Jackson-Graham that the council should recommend the park be moved to Area C was narrowly defeated and so the debate is now out of the hands of Monmouth Town Council.

Councillors did decide by one vote in favour of requesting MCC to carry out an independent feasibility legal study with a view of moving the park to Area C, ahead of cabinet on 7th February.