MAJOR SPORTS & EVENTS ARENA proposed: The letter printed in the Sheffield Star newspaper highlights the main issues that are worrying many local residents. I have already been contacted by a number of concerned local citizens and have spoken with local councillors. These proposals also follow on from the debacle over the old trees on nearby Meadowhead Roundabout, a forgotten sideshow in the Sheffield Street Tree disaster!
THE HOME OF FOOTBALL: Indeed, whilst I like the ‘idea’ of Sheffield as the ‘home of football’ and, when working on sport tourism and leisure some years ago, suggested that promoting the idea of a celebration of football history and heritage would be good. My idea, I think, was somehing shared between the big two Sheffield clubs (United and Wednesday) and the two ancient clubs of Hallam FC and Sheffield FC. This concept was linked to the initiatives to regenerate the post-industrial Lower Don Valley, and this within a bold ‘green’ framework.
TRAFFIC, POLLUTION, HEALTH & WELLBEING, & CLIMATE CHANGE: Unfortunately the current proposals don’t address the core concepts of the original ideas. Indeed, on reading the attached letter and viewing the planning submission, the plans seem to lack sensitivity to local people and the local environment and, as far as I can see, have no environmental audit attached to them – this is pretty basic stuff! The two venues will have the potential (in fact will need for financial viability reasons) to attached several thousand spectators to events – but have fewer than 100 on-site parking spaces. Furthermore, the roads here are already pretty awful and have been made far worse by the St James’s retail park just down the road. This means that traffic into Sheffield along the main arterial route from the south will be horrendous – with congestion and associated pollution [general greenhouse gas emissions] and locally unacceptable air pollution affecting local health. The development will also have associated noise and light pollution too. All these are counter to the city council’s stated environmental objectives and its much-vaunted ‘pollution-free’ zones. Associated with all of this is the question of where these visitors, (required for the site to be viable), are going to park. There are no local roadsides on nearby housing estates that are suitable, and probably all nearby roads will need to be designated as residents’ only parking.
GREENSPACE: All this includes loss of a major greenspace with ancient hedgerows, a medieval [ridge and furrow] field system, and mature trees and shrubs. Furthermore, the area and site are within a scheduled ‘Green Corridor’ [see attached] as notified by Sheffield City Council back in 1991.
PROPERTY VALUES: It is very likely, indeed almost certain, that the proposed plans if implemented will have a severe negative impact on what is called ‘the desire to reside’ i.e., how much people wish to live in a locale. This translates in layperson’s terms into the retail sale price of local houses i.e., property values in the areas perhaps a mile or so around the site will fall. St James Retail Park on the other hand actually increased these parameters and thus increased property values. This might be seen as ‘nimbyism’ but should be a real concern for local residents who stand to lose quite a lot of money…… alongside their compromised health and wellbeing!
LACK OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT: As far as I can see, none of these issues has been addressed in the application. This is a great pity since football as a sport has been moving towards becoming more sustainable and clubs like Forest Green Rovers for example, are exemplars of good practice. Surely before we can make decisions on a scheme such as this, these matters must be addressed and considered thoroughly. The problem is essentially not with the scheme per se, but with the location – which is profoundly unsuitable. I suspect a major driver is the release and sale for housing of the old Norton Woodseats FC ground just down the Chesterfield Road onthe edge of Dronfield, and where Sheffield FC currently play. However, that is not a good enough reason to justify the causing of immense negative impacts on communities at Greenhill, Low Edges, Jordanthorpe, Norton, Batemoor, and Bradway, and on their already badly stressed local environment.
The story as produced and told by his decendants Tim & Simon Newton. I can’t recall if this was actually published previously, but if not, here it is – with contributions from Melvyn Jones and others!
His body hung in chains on Attercliffe Common for around 35 years …. until it finally fell apart. The chains are preserved in Sheffield’s museum.
Outside the Noose and Gibbet pub in AttrcliffeTim and Simon Newton – his descendants The chains preserved in Sheffield museum
ianswalkonthewildside 