MADAM,

At the recent meeting to hear my presentation about relocating the playground, it saddened and perplexed me to find some members of the planning committee and indeed invited speakers quite so adamantly opposed to the idea.

I wasn’t necessarily expecting positivity, but a little more trust and open-mindedness from my elders would have been welcome. I still hope that between now and 16th January when the town council votes, we can win them round to our proposal.

Friends of Chippenham Mead have worked incredibly hard to research an alternative to the current site and we have garnered a lot of public support for our efforts.

We are doing this for wholly altruistic reasons, and yet some objectors have started to insist that we are somehow bound up with Waitrose and Haberdashers. They do us a disservice.

We are a small community group founded on the principle that the village green needs thoughtful custodianship, and are absolutely not in the same category as those private developers who have cut chunks out of the overall size of Chippenham and given nothing green in return. We do not propose to take away land that belongs to the town. Rather, we wish to enhance what is already there.

The playground we propose is of the exact same size as the current one, but in a more appropriate location. We also wish the current site to be re-greened. We propose a playground which is beautiful to look at from the town and sensitive to its tree-studded setting: an accessible and inclusive natural playground where children will have good, healthy, adventurous fun. I recommend objectors look up Jupiter Play’s Nature range, or visit Brockweir or Devauden playgrounds for examples of natural playgrounds. They could never be regarded as eyesores.

The regulations which were drawn up to keep the village green safe from encroachment were not intended to prevent improvements when necessary. There is the precedent of a fenced playground on Chippenham Mead, and what we are asking for is permission to move this enclosure, and the recognition that this is necessary. Many ordinary people - parents and grandparents, perennial visitors and long-standing residents – agree that the playground should be somewhere visible, not hidden behind the bund.

The current site - meaning no disrespect to those who live or work nearby - is in a poor position. Although a sentimental attachment to its current location is understandable, the prospect of a different location should not be thought controversial.

Nor would injecting cash into the current site be likely to transform it into somewhere to be proud of: it is under-utilised not just because it is in need of a facelift but because of where it is.

It would be costly, too, if air and noise pollution measures (to counteract the effects of the A40) were added in, as well as adequate signage (non-existent at the moment) and remedial work to Chippenhamgate Street to make access safe.

I hope the planning committee can see sense and agree to recommend relocation. We have spent a lot of time on a proposal for a site next to Blestium Street - a decent compromise based on satisfying the sports clubs and incorporating emergency access and trees with TPOs on the site.

That said, if there is an area elsewhere on the green which is preferred and meets with town council and sports club approval, we would happily have the playground there instead.

Anywhere would be better than the current site which gives the overwhelming impression that Monmouth doesn’t prioritise the needs of the young and vulnerable, or the appearance of the town.

The time to move the playground is now. We want to work with the town council, not against it. Together, we can achieve something remarkable for the future of Monmouth’s children and Chippenham Mead as a whole. The public are always welcome in the gallery at town council meetings - please come along on 16th January to show your support for relocation.

Rachel Jupp

(Friends of Chippenham Mead)