Residents protest against Crawley Borough Council’s plans to convert playing field into allotments

Construction of the allotments is planned to start on October 10, but resident Helen Owen said she and others were ‘shocked’ as it was the first they had heard of the plans.

The council’s website said a four-week consultation had been held in January but according to residents ‘at no point has anyone in the vicinity of the park been contacted for their views’.

It was pointed out that many older residents were unaware of the consultation taking place because they don’t use social media or the internet.

Helen, who headed up a protest today (Monday October 3), said residents feared they would lose a green space used by children.

Now Helen has called for a public meeting about the matter to be held at the Community Centre.

She said: “We want the council to send a letter to all residents in Furnace Green telling them this meeting is to be held.

“We want a temporary halt to work while our views are properly taken into account.”

Chelsea Rutledge, whose property faces the proposed site of the allotments, said: “I was made aware of the allotments on Friday. There were no consultations and it was the first I heard about the allotments being in front of my house.

“Do I agree with it? Absolutely not. I think it is going to be a massive loss to part of the field. I think having something like this in front of my front door is a bit of a monstrosity.

“It might be fine elsewhere, but not in front of my house.”

The council said that waiting lists for allotments are long and that Furnace Green and Tilgate are the only neighbourhoods not to have them. There will be 20 plots available. The council told us that residents backing onto the allotments will still have access to the playing fields.

It was also confirmed that the children’s play area would remain.

A spokesman added: “Our consultations usually last for four weeks. We had a strong response to our allotments consultation, with more than 150 residents giving us their views and 80 per cent being in favour.

“There was a large online promotion of the consultation. The Furnace Green residents’ group on Facebook has 2,400 members and our social media pages, which have even more, promoted the consultation, survey and drop-in sessions in Furnace Green.

“Residents overlooking the site had a survey posted through their door, while residents also had a chance to come and chat about the plans with council officers and complete a survey in person if they wanted to.”

There has been support for the construction of allotments on the playing fields by residents.

Claire Stephens from Furnace Green said: “Personally I think the allotments will be fantastic. Many locals, including myself, would love to be able to grow produce.

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“I have four children, and I honestly think it's going to be really great for them to be able to come down with me and learn how to grow their own food and care for plants.