News from Sheffield Labour

Sheffield residents reject Council’s Crystal Peaks plan

Local residents unanimously rejected the Liberal Democrats’ proposals to force through the sale of playing fields in order to build offices at Crystal Peaks at the South-East Area Assembly last night.

Clive Betts MP (Sheffield Attercliffe) said: “This is the second large public meeting at which local people have unanimously rejected the Liberal Democrats’ proposals to force through – without any consultation – the sale of playing fields in order to build offices at Crystal Peaks. When are they going to get the message?

“We now need rapid reconsideration of the plan to build offices and to move the bus station. The playing fields at Crystal Peaks have been used for over fifty years for sport and recreation. There are plenty of other suitable locations for offices and the existing bus station could easily be refurbished.

“Local people had to point out to Liberal Democrat councillors that the moving of the bus terminus would result in passengers – many of whom are elderly – having far further to walk to the central shopping area and that the buses which would have to have a reverse exit system would result in the alarms being heard by residents from the early hours of the morning till late at night. Both the planners and the transport officials agreed that this was the case.”

Clive Betts continued: “Sport England has written to me stating that the loss of playing fields would not be beneficial to an area that was already under provided for in facilities and confirming that their projections show an increasing demand on local playing facilities. Yet, the Liberal Democrat councillors seem completely ignorant of this.”

Finally, Clive Betts said: “I find it staggering that the local Liberal Democrat councillor – a member of the Cabinet which made the sell-off decision – is not standing up for local people on this issue.

“The Liberal Democrats should now ditch these plans. It is clear that they are simply trying to sell off assets. The council should now properly consider – in consultation with local people – what needs to happen to develop Crystal Peaks for the benefit of all.”