Killing Manchester's green spaces
heather | 29.03.2004 21:51
and denying people community centres and places for kids to play. Thats what council tax is for, isn't it? Two are "publically" owned buildings (city council) and ones a trade union owned building. Shame.
In Tameside
Councils plan to demolish a local school and sell off two playing fields in Dukinfield, for a 250 home housing development. Some locals are rather unhappy about this.
I don’t know much more but I’ll find out or if someone else knows??
In Whalley Range Manchester
Developers are queuing up to take over the GMB college and the land around it. its not even on the market yet. Its an amazing piece of green land in Whalley Range. Just across the road from it is a kids residential home (now shut down) which was built under opposition because of the mature trees and owls. Promises were made then about the number of trees that would go. The building was built and then, slowly all the trees went except the cosmetic ones lining the road. But we all thought the college was safe…..
Its not. A co-operative is trying to keep the college open. The building dates from 1840 and so far at least 10 companies or individuals have expressed an interest in building on the site. GMB spokesman Paul Barnsley said “we’ve had between 10 and 15 expressions of interest in the building which is very healthy. We haven’t acted on any of the proposals and we won’t until the college goes on the market. If we can do a deal with the co-op then we will, but we have to do what is in the best interest of GMB and its members”
That’d be a trade union then would it?? Clearly, I’ve missed the point again…..
In Chorlton Manchester
The Council plans to knock down the Oakwood School building in the middle of the Merseybank estate. It plans to sell the land (including extensive playing fields around the school) because “the council’s intention is to ensure a wide range of housing types to meet the needs of the people who live in Manchester, including properties for sale in the higher price range”
the houses built on the land will be yuppie houses for rich folk. At the moment there is a community centre in the school (which still has pupils). It will shut in the Autumn. Last Sunday we went and asked people on the estate what they wanted and they want a community centre. The school has a gym, it has a library. There is a big hall. Loads of space for the kids on the playing fields. Why can’t they keep it? There isn’t much else on Merseybank.
That’d be part of the Excellence in Cities Initiative then would it?? Oh and creating sustainable communities??
Can we do something about this, people?
Councils plan to demolish a local school and sell off two playing fields in Dukinfield, for a 250 home housing development. Some locals are rather unhappy about this.
I don’t know much more but I’ll find out or if someone else knows??
In Whalley Range Manchester
Developers are queuing up to take over the GMB college and the land around it. its not even on the market yet. Its an amazing piece of green land in Whalley Range. Just across the road from it is a kids residential home (now shut down) which was built under opposition because of the mature trees and owls. Promises were made then about the number of trees that would go. The building was built and then, slowly all the trees went except the cosmetic ones lining the road. But we all thought the college was safe…..
Its not. A co-operative is trying to keep the college open. The building dates from 1840 and so far at least 10 companies or individuals have expressed an interest in building on the site. GMB spokesman Paul Barnsley said “we’ve had between 10 and 15 expressions of interest in the building which is very healthy. We haven’t acted on any of the proposals and we won’t until the college goes on the market. If we can do a deal with the co-op then we will, but we have to do what is in the best interest of GMB and its members”
That’d be a trade union then would it?? Clearly, I’ve missed the point again…..
In Chorlton Manchester
The Council plans to knock down the Oakwood School building in the middle of the Merseybank estate. It plans to sell the land (including extensive playing fields around the school) because “the council’s intention is to ensure a wide range of housing types to meet the needs of the people who live in Manchester, including properties for sale in the higher price range”
the houses built on the land will be yuppie houses for rich folk. At the moment there is a community centre in the school (which still has pupils). It will shut in the Autumn. Last Sunday we went and asked people on the estate what they wanted and they want a community centre. The school has a gym, it has a library. There is a big hall. Loads of space for the kids on the playing fields. Why can’t they keep it? There isn’t much else on Merseybank.
That’d be part of the Excellence in Cities Initiative then would it?? Oh and creating sustainable communities??
Can we do something about this, people?
heather
e-mail:
simple_things@riseup.net
Homepage:
http://www.manchestersocialforum.org.uk
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