ANGRY Stourbridge residents have criticised plans by one of the town’s colleges to build a new entrance into playing fields near their homes.

An action group has been set up by neighbours in Love Lane, Cobham Road and Oakleigh Road after they discovered King Edward VI College’s plans.

The group, which had almost 100 people protesting outside the Green Fields sports pitches at the weekend, claim the plans for an access road, entrance and car park for 15 spaces will create traffic congestion and parking problems.

College principal Remley Mann said she has received messages of support for these proposals from “many of our neighbours”, but is aware of the concerns raised by the action group.

Ms Mann said the college is hoping to make improvements to its Green Fields facilities so the land can “continue to be used not only by King Edward’s students but also by a wide range of young people involved in community sports activities from across the Black Country”.

Richard Deakin, chairman of the action group, said the group is not against the creation of a car park within the playing field grounds, but criticised the plans for placing the access road at a “dangerous” location.

Stourbridge News:

He said: “The plans would create traffic chaos. The roads around here are bad enough as it is, let alone adding parked cars along them. Creating all this mess for an extra 15 parking spaces is ridiculous.

“We think they should move their pitches down towards the fence on Oakleigh Road (the proposed location of the access road) which would give them more space to have an even bigger car park near their new pavilion where they could hold 80 to 90 cars.

“This would eliminate the need for these plans, and it would also reduce the large levels of cars parked along Swinford Road, which I know residents there are not happy about.”

He also said the group have tried to make contact with the college on “numerous occasions”, including personally delivered letters late last year, but is yet to receive any response.

But Ms Mann refutes Mr Deakin’s claims, saying they offered an invitation to residents – in a letter dated January 11 – to meet with college site manager Jeff Caseley.

Stourbridge News:

She added: “To date, neither Mr Caseley nor I have received a request to meet with residents. We would be happy to do so at a mutually convenient time.

“We are keenly aware of the national shortage of facilities to foster sport and we consider that we have a duty to see that the facility at The Green Fields is not under-utilised.

“However, it is also a priority that we maintain positive relations with the residents in the vicinity of The Green Fields.

“To this end, we would be happy to meet with them to discuss the full range of concerns they may have.”