Dismay as kids won't be able to play at Filwood Park

RESIDENTS in Knowle West have expressed their dismay at news they are set to lose their local park.

Filwood Park has been sold by Bristol City Council for £4million to public housing provider English Partnerships.

The 11-acre landscaped park now looks set to be built over for a new housing estate, with plans due to be submitted in mid-2009.

But local people say they were not properly informed when the sale went through earlier this year and are now shocked to hear it is set to be bulldozed.

The Evening Post visited the park yesterday and spoke to residents who are planning a protest outside Council House before next Tuesday's full council meeting.

Emily Smith, 36, from Bantry Road, regularly uses the park with her children Eliza, eight, Thea, six, Lily, four and Logan, who is almost two.

She said: "The park has been left to go to rack and ruin over the past few years; the maintenance of it has gone downhill and it's as though they always planned to sell it off.

"Now people don't feel as safe here, so ultimately they just say no one uses it any more.

"But the people of Knowle West didn't know that this park was up for sale and, while I have no doubt that new houses are needed, there are plenty of other brownfield sites around.

"The city council should be increasing the maintenance of this area and improving it so that people feel safe using their local park."

Karen Hartnett, 34, from Daventry Road, agreed.

She said: "I've got four kids and we use the park because there's nowhere else to play in this area. Hengrove Park isn't within walking distance and it's across the main road anyway."

Mum-of-three Sarah Purnell, 32, from Instow Walk, said: "We all come here in the summer holidays to walk the dogs, and old people use it as well.

"Why have they got to take green space away all the time?

"They say they have a strategy, so why are they depriving our kids of somewhere to play? The council is contradicting itself. If they want to increase the population of areas like this, then they will need even more space to support them all. It doesn't make sense."

The city council has insisted that public notices were published and posted locally, and a number of public meetings were held, to inform residents of the sale plan.

It also says money from the sale will go towards regeneration plans.

English Partnerships say a consultant will be appointed next month to plan the park's future with the city council and said there would be extensive consultation in the first half of next year.