Petition to Protect College Fields Presented in Parliament
- 3 days ago
- 2 min read
This week, I formally presented a petition to the House of Commons calling for the protection of College Fields in Madeley.
For months, local residents have raised concerns with me about proposals that could restrict long-standing public access to this much-loved green space – including the possibility of fencing and other measures that would limit how the field is used. It quickly became clear just how strongly people feel about this issue.
College Fields has been part of village life in Madeley for generations. It is used for informal recreation, exercise, dog walking and simply as a place to enjoy open space. Green spaces like this play an important role in supporting wellbeing and bringing communities together. Losing or limiting access would have a real impact on local people.
In response to the strength of feeling, I held a petition on my website calling for the field to remain open and accessible.
I am grateful to the more than 1,000 people who live, learn and work in Newcastle-under-Lyme who added their names.
Their message was clear: decisions about the future of College Fields must be made transparently and with meaningful community engagement.
The petition presented to Parliament reads as follows:
“The petition of residents of the constituency of Newcastle-under-Lyme, "Declares that there is growing concern in Madeley about proposals that would limit public access to College Fields, a green space that has been used by the community for many years; further declares that the prospect of fencing and restricted access has caused significant local opposition and raised questions about how decisions affecting the site are being made; further declares that College Fields is an important part of community life in Madeley, providing space for informal recreation, wellbeing and outdoor activity and therefore losing or limiting access to this field would have a real impact on local residents; further declares that local people have been clear that they want College Fields to remain open and accessible, and that any decisions about its future must be taken transparently and with meaningful community engagement; and further declares that imposing changes without proper consultation risks undermining trust and damaging a valued local asset. "And the petitioners remain, etc."
