£1.5m revamp for Barn Elms playing fields (From Richmond and Twickenham Times)

£1.5m revamp for Barn Elms playing fields

4:36pm Monday 27th July 2009 in

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A new lease of life is finally being given to popular public playing fields despite an improvement scheme being scaled down by £2.5m.

For the past 18 years the future of Barn Elms has been uncertain but it appears community group Barnes Vision and Richmond Council have agreed on a plan to prevent 5.5 acres of land being sold to a private developer and ensure the open space remains a public resource.

However, celebrations have been spoilt by a proposal by the council to build a £150,000 dual skate park and BMX track as part of the broader Barn Elms development, which Conservative councillors claimed could put a plan to build a new pavilion at risk.

Spokeswoman for Barnes Vision, Candice Streeter-Jewitt, said: “Barnes Vision was surprised by the announcements regarding the BMX/skate park at Barn Elms.

“However, until the impact of the council's proposal, on the progress and content of current plans and on users and residents can be established, we remain neutral."

Robert Essex, speaking for Barnes Eagles FC, the biggest user of Barn Elms playing fields, warned: “We would be extremely disappointed if these recent plans in any way delayed the long overdue improvements to Barn Elms, which after 18 years of frustration, are at last coming to fruition.”

In February last year Barnes Vision, set up by community campaigners and users of the site, was busy trying to secure funding of £2.4m for the regeneration scheme.

The council had planned to sell some of the land to a developer in order to pay for improvements but agreed to scrap that plan if Barnes Vision could come up with £4m in financial donations.

A year-and-a-half later, with a £30,000 refurbishment of the six lane athletics track being carried out, the improvement project is moving closer - but will now cost about £1.5m.

Cabinet member for youth, culture and leisure, Councillor Liz Jaeger said: “We have prepared a plan to improve the existing sports facilities at Barn Elms, which includes six new changing rooms in a new pavilion, tennis courts, pitch improvements and improved car parking which will cost in the region of £1.5m.

“It has been necessary to scale back the scheme to meet the anticipated external funding available, but I’m hopeful Barn Elms users will get behind the improvements to sports facilities when we meet them in September, before the proposal is considered by the cabinet.”

The original scheme featured 16 changing rooms and a costly underground drainage system for the playing fields.

A council spokesman said there would be a consultation into the BMX/skate park after an application had been formally submitted.