Concern over stability of contaminated playing field in Hope lead to restrictions on events

Concerns over the stability of a contaminated playing field in Flintshire has led to the restriction of events and sporting activities, it’s been revealed. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Issues with subsidence have recently been discovered at the Willows playing field in Hope, which is located on a former council landfill site. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The green space is popular in the local community and is normally home to the annual Hope, Caergwrle and Abermorddu Carnival. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

However, organisers have had to find an alternative venue for next year’s event after Flintshire Council imposed a ban on large public gatherings because of safety worries. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Councillor Gladys Healey said members of Hope Dragons Youth Football Club had also been forced to play elsewhere, despite the land being designated as a Centenary Field to protect it for community use last year. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The Labour politician has now demanded answers on when the problem will be fixed. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Speaking at a meeting held yesterday, she said: “The field was used for the carnival for many years, but it has been refused and the carnival is going somewhere else because of the contamination. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“The field became a Centenary Field but no play equipment can be put there any more. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“The plaque for the Centenary Field could not even be put on a pole in the ground and is up on a fence because of contamination. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“I just want to ask what is going to happen to put those fields right so at least the public can use it. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“They also came and mowed all the wildflowers with a big tractor as they said they couldn’t maintain them because they couldn’t dig into the land.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Cllr Healey told members of the authority’s environment scrutiny committee it was not the first time issues had been experienced at the field. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Plans for a children’s playground were delayed in 2011 because of sinking land and part of the site was cordoned off. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Council officers said the Willows was one of several locations across Flintshire earmarked for remediation. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

But they added they could not give a timescale because of ongoing work in other areas. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Contaminated land officer Rachael Davies said: “There is a problem with the field because of the stability of the landfill under the land. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“That is a big issue and that’s why I have been in correspondence with councillors and the community council about the use of the playing field already. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“We have had to restrict the use of the playing field from anything that will actually cause any weight on it. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“Unfortunately, the carnival has had to be told it can’t use the playing field because it isn’t safe to do so. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“It is down on our list to be dealt with, but when it will be dealt with unfortunately does depend on some remediation work at some other priority sites that we’re doing.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

She said she was not aware why the football club had been told it could not use the field. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Plans were previously outlined for a pharmacy to be built on part of the field, which led to a protest being staged by residents. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

During the meeting, officers provided reassurance it could no longer be developed because of its designation under the Fields in Trust initiative. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

By Liam Randall – Local Democracy Reporter (more here). ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

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