Development and Site Allocations (DaSA) Local Plan - Options and Preferred Options

Development & Site Allocations Local Plan - options & preferred options for public consultation

The Heart of Sidley formally supports the retention of Sidley Sports Ground as playing pitches as per the council's Playing Pitch Strategy. Sidley lacks community green open spaces and has felt this lack in particular since the loss of this sports ground. An immediate example is that the local cricket team now have to play on neighbouring town facilities which has directly impacted the ability for some local
children to participate as they cannot travel to the weekly training in these towns.

The local football club have the same problem and again local children are struggling to get involved and enjoy sport. The village of Sidley has a high level of depravation and a lack of community spaces has a huge detrimental effect on the area. This ground is centrally situated in Sidley and it is fundamental that local sport opportunities are available in an area where there is deprivation.

If the ground is used to build houses, rather than to provide desperately needed open green spaces it will place a further drain on the local resources. The GP's, local schools, dentists would be flooded with additional people needing their services and the small village of Sidley would suffer. We strongly feel that the ground needs to be restored to public ground, including local sports facilities to allow the village of Sidley to connect the community again and not only restore the lack of sporting facilities and opportunities for local people but allow the community to enjoy a rare piece of community land that would benefit all.