Cllr Shaun Davies Marvels at His Own Leadership
On Friday 10th May, yet another notch has been carved into the extremely long timeline of a project that has been in development since at least 1987!
Almost 5 weeks later than promised to our campaigners, both borough and parish councils announced the publication of the latest in a string of planning applications for a long promised sports facility on land between Overdale and Newdale in TF3 area of Telford.
Quickly jumping on social media and claiming "as part of my leadership vision" councillor Shaun Davies, Labours candidate for MP at the next election, said "this has just happened", creating visions of an ameteur magician pulling a well worn fake rabbit from his dusty and tattered top hat which is stood on a rickety little table and shouting "ta daaa" and expecting a rapturous round of applause!
However, we will lay the bare facts out before you right here, along with a timeline up to April 2024, then you can decide which words you would use to describe what we refer to as a complete fiasco!
On 19th April 2024 Telford & Wrekin Council published what was thought to be the third planning application for the historically promised "Overdale Sportsfield" - but as we will show you - many more existed and were hidden from public sight over the years.
But what is 5 more weeks late, when more than 1900 weeks have gone by since ground was first broken?
37 years since ground was first broken. Within a year of an Election
27 years since the first planning permission was granted within a year of an Election
10 years since last planning permission was acted upon within a year of an election
Election time seems a popular time to submit planning applications. A cynical person would say that this is a recurring plan to bait the residents with promises of action only to be let down once votes have been cast, and seats secured.
A less cynical person could wave off the pattern that has developed as pure coincidence, (there are after all, studies on the very subject of patterns developing purely by random happenstance) and believe that our elected representatives would never stoop to such lowly acts of political gamesmanship with the residents just to win a few more votes - or would they?
Disappointingly, the plans are not readable to many -
but there have been conflicting reports at least one of the originally promised sports pitches disappear, going from three down to two, although one of those two does still remain a 3g pitch. Curiously, the plans are also reported to be missing the floodlights from previous plans.
In place of changing rooms, the reports of a pavillion has created even more questions.
There had been talk of a 'Clubhouse' before the plans were made public.
A clubhouse, is defined as a building with a bar, and a room for a clubs social events, along with a changing room for the club. So were the councillors trying to court local voters with visions of a new community resource much grander than what is actually proposed, and if so, to what purpose?
A Pavillion is similar to a clubhouse, but a clear distinction between the two is a pavillion is equipped for providing light refreshements, and also has changing facilities, but crucially, no provision for a bar and a social events room, as there is in a clubhouse, but a pavillion would be a huge upgrade from just previously planned changing rooms.
Clearly the plans, along with a timetable and finances, will need some clarrification in order for residents to be satisfied that this is not yet another election year gimmick!
To view the current planning applicatiin for yourself follow this link here Planning
and use the code
TWC/2024/0357
For those that are unable to view the planning documents, we will request them in a format readable to everybody, and report back to you.
Sportsfield Project
Timeline 1987 to 2024
(As it was available in the public domain before April 2024 - New Timeline will be published with previously 'missing' information!)
Local campaigners with Truth Tracker Telford (TTT) and Local News TF3 (LNTF3) have been active, conducting metaphorical 'excavations' to unearth historical evidence in lieu of updates from the council.
Our town has a significant history with coal mining, and the ongoing saga of the Overdale Sportsfield project is a legacy that continues to unfold nearly four decades later, symbolising the community's hopes and challenges post-mining.
The modern story begins for us in October 1987, with the inauguration of operations at 'Newdale Opencast Coal Site.' This initiative aimed to extract a substantial amount of coal.
By June 1988, after producing over 1 million tons of coal—valued at £5.8 million at the time (equivalent to over £16 million today)—the site transitioned from extraction to stabilisation, using material from the Monroe site in Lawley for ground compaction.
By October 1988, compaction issues required parts of the land dug up again and reworking certain areas with large boulders and refilling a second time in order to satisfy stringent engineering standards.
The process was completed by September 1989, with groundwater equilibrium declared as achieved by July 1990.
However, regular users of the land will attest, since this time the land is very often boggy and after heavy rains, prone to flooding and holding water.
The site's future attracted academic interest too, leading to a 1994 doctoral thesis by now retired Cambridge University Professor C.W.W. Hills, which highlighted potential stability issues from substandard compaction, poor workmanship in plain English.
However, the site was deemed stable by 1997 and slated for transformation into the Overdale Sportsfield.
Planning permission was granted on October 15th, 1997, but for 17 years, there was no further progress or updates.
This silence was broken by a planning application for engineering works on August 28th, 2014, which was approved by November, renewing hope.
But by 2016, concerns regarding the historical records of site earthworks—now 'missing'—necessitated a detailed investigation.
Public records next mention discussions around November 2016, with local councillors, including current Cllr Mark Boylan, about forming a Community Interest Company (CIC) to oversee the land and project. However, nearly five years passed with no updates, and the planned CIC vanishing from public records.
On September 16th, 2021, Cllr Amrik Jhawar mentioned plans to develop football pitches were still being investigated.
However, the council's lack of transparency led to resident dissatisfaction, as evidenced by a social media exchange with Cllr Boylan over a year later in October 2022.
A Freedom of Information Request by a local campaigner in October 2023 revealed a significant amount of 'missing' information concerning the council's dealings with the sportsfield project, intensifying the community's call for accountability.
In March 2024, the council, under more pressure by a local campaigner and resident, released the Phase 1 Ground Investigation findings, revealing considerable challenges including environmental risks and structural concerns, with project costs escalating to over £2.5 million. This sparked public demands for clarity and reassessment.
After 37 years of anticipation, setbacks, missing records, and bureaucratic delays, the TF3 community is at a crossroads, with some calling for renewed public consultation and a thorough reassessment of the Overdale Sportsfield project.
We are committed to keeping the public informed and will continue to share new information as it becomes available, whether it's uncovered from the shadows or released officially.
For your ease, we include the links below to reports made by LNTF3 (Local News TF3) since the investigation was started
Sportsfield 13Mar24
Sportsfield 12Mar24
Sportsfield 22Dec23
Sportsfield December 20th 2023
Who are Telford GUARDIAN
(Group for Universal Accessibility Responsible Development & Informed Activism Network)
A small group of people concerned for minority access to services, enviromentally sustainable development, and spreading knowledge and truth to people who can act with fact rather than idealism.
Authors & contributors are-
Mark, Liza, Zach, Jas, Josh, Scott & Gary.
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