Future of games area uncertain following complaints about noise

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Cheshire East Council has received a number of complaints from local residents regarding noise and disturbance from a children's play area in Handforth.

As a result of complaints regarding the Multi Use Games Area (MUGA) in Meriton Road Park the Council has surveyed local residents with the aim of gaining "a better understanding of the issues and to establish how to best resolve the situation with both users and residents in mind".

Residents living within 250 metres of the MUGA were sent a copy of the survey, whilst others were able to complete the online survey which closed on Friday 29th January.

In total Cheshire East Council received 313 responses to the survey which asked residents how frequently they visited the play area, how much they valued the facility and the main reason for their last visit.

They were also asked their opinion about the impact the MUGA has had on the young people who live in the neighbourhood, whether they have been effected in any way (positively or negatively) by its installation, whether they would be prepared to use alternative facilities and how strongly they agree or disagree that the MUGA should be removed from Meriton Road Park.

Cheshire East Council did not provide any information about the feedback received but said they are still waiting for decisions to be made about how the results will be used, which will come after the portfolio holder has taken a view on it.

A spokesperson for Cheshire East said "Once the results are collated and discussed at Cabinet they will be used to decide on the future of the MUGA."

Tags:
Meriton Road Park
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Comments

Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.

Oliver Romain
Thursday 4th February 2016 at 10:58 pm
Cheaper not to have play areas at all. I wonder which way this will go.....
Jon Williams
Friday 5th February 2016 at 5:47 pm
We live near a hockey club and have to put up with noise and floodlights, but I would not want to see it go !
Thomas Buckley
Wednesday 10th February 2016 at 1:37 pm
Noise is a problem. But so is the huge obesity problem that this country is facing. Young people need to be encouraged to be MORE active, not less. Otherwise we will be unable to bear the burden of the expected billions of pounds required to treat future growth in diabetes and other weight related problems etc.

Keep the sports ground and let's build more.

PS - we have a field directly opposite our house used for sports in the summer. I think the sound of people being active and having fun is great! But I guess not everyone agrees.
Christian Hurstfield
Wednesday 10th February 2016 at 2:28 pm
Oh dear, "noise and disturbance from a children's play area " - that's usually what happens when these installations are in use.... and this play area is about another 200 metres from the main school there, which generates just as much noise, if not more.

Should we shut the school down because bored (i'm assuming old/cantankerous) people can hear the noise while they potter about looking for something to complain about?

How about all those neighbours/residents that create all that racket when in their own gardens, playing, having fun, just generally being normal human beings....?

"Cheaper not to have play areas at all. I wonder which way this will go....." - sitting on the fence on this one Oliver, what do you 'actually' think?
John Bibby
Wednesday 10th February 2016 at 2:51 pm
Perhaps somebody took their ball away when they were kids, really you have to feel sorry for people with such an attitude.
Allan Dawson
Wednesday 10th February 2016 at 3:37 pm
To all those complainants..get a life and stop whinging..you were young once!!..oh..and don't live near a park!!
Simon Worthington
Thursday 11th February 2016 at 11:17 am
No complaints should be accepted from anyone who moved in after the park was first opened - oh that will be all of them then!!!!