Turnpike Field -- some facts.

Usually for very good reasons, Turnpike Field generates a lot of interest in our village.

So, now seems a good time to re-state some of the key facts regarding the decision to purchase it back in August 2018. There are many new residents who were not here at the time, so it might help provide them (and hopefully remind a few others) with a reality check. The facts are taken from APC meeting minutes and other APC reports made during the purchase.

Why was the field bought?

At the Audlem Parish Council (APC) meeting on 9th April 2018, Neil Goodyear brought the potential sale of the field to their attention. The APC quickly held public meetings and a survey to get the village's opinion about the possible purchase. The public meetings were attended by 136 people and also a presentation was made to members of ADCA where the responses was very much in favour of purchase.
By April 23rd 2018, of the 188 survey responses all but 5 supported the purchase. They also made suggestions about possible future uses of the field.
Many residents voiced concern that the land may be built on.

APC Chair Report

A report was then produced by the then APC Chair.

In her words:-
"The paragraphs below from the report confirm that the prime purpose was to keep the field as green space in perpetuity":-

• The public meetings and the Community Survey held in April 2018 confirmed that there was strong community support for the Parish Council's proposal to submit a bid for the field at the top of Green Lane. Residents were very keen to keep this as an area of community open space in perpetuity and interested in the possibility (subject to planning permission) of extra car park provision to relieve parking pressure in the village
• Although the prime aim expressed by residents was that the Parish Council acquire the field purely to keep it as community green space, the possibility of this providing a location for additional car parking was attractive. Some preparatory work on costs has been done.

Turnpike Field Open Meeting

At the Turnpike Field Open Meeting held on Feb 28th 2019, 49 attendees were each given 4 votes to use on the list of potential field uses. 160 votes were cast:-

• Green Car Park/Hedging/fencing/Improved access with height security barrier/Pedestrian gate with disabled access -- 40%
• Wildflower areas/Bog Garden/Wetland/dry walk boards/Nature Conservation Tree planting/Arboretum Seating/Picnic Area -- 43.8%

To assist the results of the survey can be seen here : https://tfra.audlem.org/doc/D370483.pdf

Online survey,

In the March 2019 Online survey, 338 respondees were each given 4 votes to use on the list of field uses. 1338 votes were cast:-

• Green Car Park/Hedging/fencing/Improved access with height security barrier/Pedestrian gate with disabled access -- 17.5%
• Wildflower areas/Bog Garden/Wetland/dry walk boards/Nature Conservation Tree planting/Arboretum Seating/Picnic Area -- 35.9%

To assist the results of the survey can be seen here : https://tfra.audlem.org/doc/D378753.pdf

What were the car park cost estimates?

• In April 2018, APC produced an initial cost estimate for the car park. This is where the £40k figure came from. It excluded any survey, planning, lighting or car charging costs and was based on Medium Duty Grass Reinforcement Mesh from SureGreen which would be simply steamrollered into the grass

See TPF meeting minutes in October 2018 here : https://tfra.audlem.org/doc/D551121.pdf

• This estimate primarily underestimated the cost of the mesh. The application at the end of 2018 to CEC for a New Homes Grant -- the estimate for the application was raised to £96k. This increase was in part due to a Cheshire company called Leisure Surfaces telling us that for an acre, heavy duty rolls would be significantly more costly -- up to £50k. This solution is more comparable with the solution that APC have recently had quoted for at £76k -- which also excludes survey, planning cost, lighting or car charging cost.

So, clearly whilst costs have increased, neither the early 2018 estimate nor the current ones actually show what the real costs since the survey, planning costs etc should be included.

These omissions will be corrected at the Open Meeting to be held in the near future when the village will be provided with detailed and accurate comparisons of costs.

Steve Elliott on behalf of Turnpike Field Working Group