Kings Head Meadow where Wymondham Town play football

Relief as sale of recreation land for Wymondham Asda scrapped

Dominic Bareham, senior reporter Wednesday, February 22, 2012
6:35 AM

A bittersweet mood filled the air at a Norfolk community centre last night after councillors withdrew controversial plans to allow an area of recreation land to be developed as a supermarket.

Wymondham residents packed into Ketts Park Community Recreation Centre to hear town councillors agree to rescind resolutions passed in September to allow the council-owned Kings Head Meadow to be developed for use as a supermarket and for the land to be sold to Asda as the preferred developer.

However, although the residents, including members of the Wymondham Asks Why (WAW) action group opposed to the store plans, applauded the decision, many felt disappointed the proposal had reached the point where a large schism had arisen in the town, pitting residents against councillors who they believed were representing them.

The WAW group had fought a long campaign to protect the meadow, home to Wymondham Town FC and children’s play facilities, from development and had called for a public consultation to be held before any decision to sell the land was taken.

WAW chairman Andy Gardiner told the councillors they had failed to maintain the standards of public service provided by previous town councillors and called on the town’s mayor Neil Ward to seek the resignations of councillors who had supported the store plans. However, Mr Ward said he had no power to seek the resignations of fellow councillors.

Following the meeting, Mr Gardiner said: “Wymondham residents should now fight for a full independent enquiry into the whole affair. A vast majority of the Town Council members positions are untenable and they should start the healing process in Wymondham by resigning and resigning now.”

His fellow WAW member Derek Ward recalled once playing football on the meadow and wanted the land to be preserved for future generations to use for sport.

He said: “I think we have come a long way round to get to where we should have been in the first place. I think all the bad feeling could have been prevented if the town council had consulted the public in the first place.”

South Norfolk councillor Joseph Mooney, who represents Wymondham, had also fought for the public to be consulted.

He said: “I am extremely pleased with this result. It is great news for the town and the residents have fought a fantastic campaign and they deserve all the praise for a great result.”

As part of the sale the football club would have been given a new ASDA-funded ground at Ketts Park, but Mr Foulger said if the proposal was carried, the club would have to decide on its own future bearing in mind it still had time to run on its King’s Head Meadow lease.

9 comments

Many thanks to all who worked so hard to avert a near disaster.I hope resignations from certain councillors will be forthcoming and we can have a *Diamond*year with some new councillors doing a good job.

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richard 111

Thursday, February 23, 2012
Where have vast amount of people been who wanted the development been hiding for the last 5 months then? The football club need to stand on their own feet and sort getting better facilities for themselves.

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Netball player

Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Where were all the so called supporters during Asda's opend days and open council meetings?

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Milky Bar Kid

Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Well,i think that the decision is not what the vast amount of wymondham and surrounding area people wanted just the few who seem to see the lack of benefits for ALL in the town and if asda decide to move elseware away from our town and the town becomes a ghost town in the high street,the few may be very proud of what they have achieved.The football club must also be gutted that they will not have a new start to develop the facilities they need

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stutrac00

Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Well,i think that the decision is not what the vast amount of wymondham and surrounding area people wanted just the few who seem to see the lack of benefits for ALL in the town and if asda decide to move elseware away from our town and the town becomes a ghost town in the high street,the few may be very proud of what they have achieved.The football club must also be gutted that they will not have a new start to develop the facilities they need

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stutrac00

Wednesday, February 22, 2012
A victory for common sense and local democracy. However I sense that it is like the Churchilian moment after the Battle of Britain when he declared " this is the end of the beginning and not the beginning of the end. I cannot believe that after the time ASDA have invested in this proposal, they will just give up on their desire for a presence in Wymondham. Expect the unexpected and look out for plans out of town near the A11. Meanwhile the Kings Head Meadow may be safe for the time being but it cannot stay just as it is. Ideas for improvement need to start rolling in.

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Leafy suburb

Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Congratulations to all who have rejected the increase in traffic, pollution and litter this development would have caused. Using part of the land as an educational resource, for a community vegetable garden, would keep the land and provide fresher food than any retailer could ever provide. It is a sports field, proposed to be sold off in the Olympic year? indeed its sad that it even got that far and I concure that the meetings and aspects of supporting cllr's should be investigated.

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ingo wagenknecht

Wednesday, February 22, 2012
"That's the best cooked breakfast I've had since Gary Wilmot's wedding"

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ds99

Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Thanks go to all involved in the well fought WAW campaign.

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Milky Bar Kid

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

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