News

Neighbours' court bid to shut noisy playground

By Hugh Fort
May 10, 2012

Villagers have launched a court battle to stop the “nuisance” sound of children by closing a £150,000 playground.

The group of neighbours living close to Locks Ride Recreation Group in Ascot filed a criminal prosecution for nuisance noise against Winkfield Parish Council, which runs the playground.

The case was heard on Tuesday and yesterday at Reading Magistrates’ Court.

Yesterday, the court heard from Andrew Hawes, an expert from Sanctum Environmental Health Consultants, who carried out numerous tests on noise levels from the playground, which opened last May.

Last summer he recorded a level of 55 decibels and in his opinion this is high enough to be deemed “a nuisance”.

He told the court he was “surprised” at the noise of children shouting while playing.

Katie Helmore, defending, told District Judge Andrew Vickers it was possible people living nearby could suffer from “sensitisation”, where people are more sensitive to noise.

Later in the trial, the parish council’s defence brought in a number of witnesses who spoke in support of the playground.

Mum Lauren Dorman, who lives nearby with her husband and four-year-old son, said: “I see the playground as a huge benefit to the area.

“I can’t comment on problems before September 2011 because we didn’t live here, but it was a real attraction when we moved here.

“My son is an only child and it’s great for him to interact with other children.

“I’ve had no problem with noise coming from it, I hear the sound of children having fun.

“I’d really hate to lose it and I hope a compromise can be found.”

Dad Alan Weyman, from Locks Ride, also spoke in defence of the playground.

He has two children aged four and nine, who he said “loved” the playground.

He said: “We’ve had no problems at all.

“The only thing I’ve seen is a group of teenagers on the zip wire when I left for work early one morning.

“The noise isn’t a problem.”

Prosecution solicitor Alan Steynor asked if he agreed the noise was “screeching and screaming”, but Mr Weyman said: “It’s the sound of children having fun, I’ve got no problem with it.”

Marcia Milsom, deputy clerk for Winkfield Parish Council was also called as witness.

Mrs Milsom said the parish council had received a number of complaints about noise, traffic and litter since the playground opened, but added there had also been some very positive feedback.

Mr Steynor asked if plans were in place to expand the playground by adding better toilets and a cafe, but Mrs Milsom said while the parish council has discussed various plans for the site, nothing had been decided.

The hearing is due to continue later this month.

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Most recent user comments 7 of 7

I was the Regional Manager for Play England and we were involved in the set up of this site. This couple had ample opportunity to be involved in the consultation before the park was installed. We are talking about CHILDREN here!!!! What about their right to play (UN Convention of the rights of the Child Article 31 All children have the right to relax and play......) I am disgusted that these people can speak about people in such a way - they said in a national paper that "the park was full of really fat women from Bracknell who could not control their children". Children's play shouldn't be controlled - I bet the Pilot and his DR wife don't expect others to control their recreational activities!!!! I say keep the park and laugh these two out of court. Good Luck Winfield Parish Council I hope you win this one

LynetteR
11/05/2012 at 16:12

If there is a problem with overweight parents in the park then perhaps the council should be extending the playground to include an outdoor gym for adults. Then I suppose the sound of them grunting as they exercise would further disturb the residents.

PoneRana, Wokingham
11/05/2012 at 13:49

I am sitting in my home with the windows shut, right next to a main road with a 30 mph speed limit ... it is noisy because vehicles are being driven too fast, it gets on my nerves and I have to live with it. When I need to open the windows in the summer I can't hear my TV. Can I take the council to court to make them put in traffic calming so that I can enjoy living in my home? Maybe I should get a decibel meter reading.

As for complaints about people from Bracknell using the park I would take a guess that most of the families that use the park are fairly local. there are a lot of Children in Winkfield and I don't expect they go around whispering.

As for loud mouth adults, I get plenty of ear ache from the affluent, boosting, loud voices in restaurants, speaking up so everyone will know how wonderful they are...certainly spoils my evening out!

Marjo
10/05/2012 at 18:19

This is the quote Tom - "The residents were accused by barrister for the council Katie Helmore of not wanting ‘children from less affluent areas infiltrating their community’. She pointed to complaints from the residents which included that the park was ‘full of really fat women from Bracknell’ who could not control their children."

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2142110/Concorde-pilot-stand-noise-happy-children-tries-local-playground-closed-down.html

We need to organise a march against these NIMBY scum. As many people as possible from Bracknell marching past their houses, making as much noise as we can.

I really detest these kind of people - but I suspect this will come back and bite them on the backside one way or another.

Probably chums of Phillip Lee, being from the kind of exclusive environs he prefers to frequent.

Winstanley, Bracknell
10/05/2012 at 16:30

I love the comment in the Daily Mail that basically said people complained because Bracknell people with their noisy uncontrollable Children came to leafy upmarket Winkfield ..... clearly " we don’t Bracknell people here ... think of the impact on House Prices"

This is utterly abhorrent behaviour -I know we have the right a peaceful enjoyment of our own homes but this is nasty..... Ironic that the main complainant used to fly CONCORDE for a living ....!!! I hear the siren going off at Broadmoor - that’s loud ... Let’s ban that! When I go to the Look Out my life is ruined by those pesky noisy children - lets close the lookout and make it for adults only - Actually, when I took my children to a Park my experience was spoilt by some "older people" tutting ....lets ban them from playgrounds and parks!

I was so mad to read this story .....

I hope Winkfield Parish wins ... and i hope they demand that he pays all of thier costs!

Tom Edwards, Bracknell
10/05/2012 at 16:07

Not in my backyard eh?

spoilsports

sartay
10/05/2012 at 15:44

I would hate to see children deprived because a few adults are too bitter to put up with a little noise.

Once I couldn't hear my TV because there were magpies outside my window making a lot of noise... maybe I should complain and get magpies banned from Bracknell?