Llanblethian Field Survey

Any further comments 41 responses

• It is important to provide safe play areas for our youngsters to enjoy a range of recreational activities
• Fruit trees will attract wasps. Has the council considered the repercussions of having so many in an area where children play?
• A smaller pitch would be most useful as most kids in the playground are small. My kids would love some more trees in the playground. In the summer they are mostly messing about under the trees in the east corner of the park and no one is on the pitch part.
• Children need space – this is an amazing playing field and doesn’t need any extra trees. A different site should be found
• This area is the only green space in the village. Dogs are a huge part of family life and should be allowed in the area. Not in the play area in line with all other parks but certainly in line with the rules of Twt and neighbouring parks. That sign at the front has been up since the early 1980s! Times have moved on. We don’t have children but we have a dog and live in the village so why shouldn’t we be able to enjoy the green space and meet people for picnics on the benches.
• Planting more trees and making this environment more suitable for people of all ages to sit in and enjoy would be a huge advantage to the residents. At the moment it is mostly a big empty field and the park area is almost always empty of children and families
• Add a question about allowing Dogs on leads like all the other parks in Cowbridge
• It is a pity there is such short notice as some interested parties will not be able to get there, but the council’s attempt to rectify this is appreciated. Much though I support planting trees, and have taken considerable trouble to achieve that elsewhere, I have great doubt about the survival of these trees particularly when they are small and exposed to the vagaries of children and youths. If they should be planted they must ALL be on the boundaries, the plan may simply be inaccurate. To achieve “resilience” the above five points may all be relevant, but for there to be connectivity the adjacent landowners particularly in Great House need to be supportive.
• In order to make best use of the park in the spring/summer months more frequent mowing is required!
• If the trees are not relocated to the boundaries, (possibly more so than as proposed above, they appear to be two deep) they will either be damaged by play or prevent play. It’s a wonderful opportunity.
• Twt park in Cowbridge already caters for toddlers and young children and there is nowhere for the older teenagers to go. That is why I think professional and bigger goals should go in this park. It’s a large area one that an accommodate larger goals. I often see parents playing here too so small goals would not make the mist of the space. I think the trees should be planted as a cluster in the entrance keeping the boundaries freer too.
• Whilst the community orchard is a really good idea, the location of the trees does need close consideration, as trees that may be hit by flying footballs will not survive.
• In favour of biodiversity but children’s park seems an unsuitable location for an orchard. Suggest near to St Quentin’s castle
• Planting of the trees would limit the availability of area for play.
• This submission is by Councillor John Andrew. These are comments made by residents during the site visit on Saturday 11th February. 7 residents attended plus 4 Councillors and one member of Council staff. Medium sized goals are preferred. Pitch size not so important. Nets would be desirable to make it more enjoyable for children playing but it is recognised that potential damage is a problem. The apple trees need to be closer together than proposed in order to cross pollinate. Trees should not be in full sun all day as will be the case with trees planted on the North side of the field. It was explained that we must follow guidance from the grant provider. Disappointed that there was no consultation before the goalposts were removed. In addition to notification of the online survey by email and social media there should have been notices on noticeboards and flyers through letterboxes.
• my children used this park regularly. One of them well into adulthood to train and play football. The goals are well used by local children. I have seen children’s parties over there. It is great safe open space. There must be somewhere else these trees can be placed. They will just get damaged in the park.
• Southgate Park would be a good alternative being closer to more Members of the local Community.
• The fields in Llanblethian are a great place for children to exercise. While I am very supportive of schemes to help the environment surely there is a more appropriate place to plant trees in this very rural setting than the only place children can exercise and play.
• they will need maintaining
• Note trees are always a good idea.
• As a Llanblethian resident prior consultation would have been desirable. Can the rule of “no dogs” also be changed to “dogs must be kept on a lead”. This would align the park with all other parks in the vale. Thank you.
• This park would benefit from a covered area that older children can enjoy the space too!
• Great idea.
• I strongly support the replacement of the goal posts as soon as possible as they are very well used and a great community asset.
• It’s good to have this level of consultation – however it would have been more appreciated if this kind of communication would have happened without the neighbourhood having to complain to mayors, MP’s and councillors…
• Should allow dogs like other parks
• I would have liked to come to Saturday’s meeting, but will be away.
• organise it around families and kids. only flat playing field in the area. lots of houses have small garden. there is a wild wood 100 metres away so not much need for trees.
• None
• Surely a ‘community orchard’ would be better sited within the larger community? A far better alternative would be somewhere such as Southgate park, whereby the borders are grassed and trees planted which would provide additional privacy for neighbouring properties. It would also cut down the cost of maintenance for that area. Isn’t this is a case of ‘shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted’?
• I support the trees being planted to the south of the goalposts as these are along the perimeter but do not support the 6 trees being planted in the middle of the fields. When the football pitch is in use this area provides a large playing area for children who don’t want to engage in football and planting the trees here will make the playing area much smaller. I would prefer if all the fruit trees could be planted along the perimeter of the park!
• Fully support the new trees and having a wild area in the playing fields as there is plenty of space. My daughter has requested large bushes/ trees that can absorb CO2 , provide habitat for nature and be used for hide-and-seek.
• Fully support some planting of trees. It would be great to retain as much of the openness as possible (as current) including the perimeter around the pitch for stray footballs etc. Placing trees on eastern side (as you proposed) and also in the north west corner as a cluster with a corner wedge of wild meadow would be fantastic. Thank you. It’s a really well used space so appreciate this is being well thought through.
• Wild area to encourage insects and birds
• Could the trees be better placed somewhere else? Schools? Somewhere fruit trees don’t already exist? The football pitch is the most used area of the park. It is used by all ages, from 3 – adults making it difficult to cater for all with regards to the size of the goals.
• Firstly I am very disappointed that this is the first consultation we are having on this. Previous changes have been put on posters around the village. I would question why fruit trees are being planted on the only place that children can run around and play. Surely there are more suitable places. As more young families are moving into the village I think having a place that they can exercise safely is extremely important. This is a decision that will affect the future generations and I think it is important to promote health and fitness. I am also aware that there is a pear orchard near by to help bee population so again I am unsure why the need for apple trees in this location is needed?
• Many parents of younger children bring our own small goals down when we go to the pitch (I have collapsible goals the are easy to carry and cheap to buy). However, there is very little available in Llanblethian for older children, most of the play equipment is unsuitable for them, so having full size goals gives our teenagers at least something that is suitable for them. I would be disappointed to see small goals used.
• We agree with the proposed planting of trees in principle; however, some trees have been planted too close to our boundary in the past and are overhanging our garden and not being maintained. The football ground was the most used area of the field by locals and there were no nets so I’m not sure the height of the posts is an issue.
• To encourage wildlife the trees should be planted together, having them around border where animals would be disturbed by football and kids playing on swings seems counter intuitive.
• Thank you for moving the trees and consulting residents.