Alarm as Epsom and Ewell High School prepares to sell-off playing field for development

Epsom and Ewell High School, on Ruxley Lane, Ewell, aims to sell an area of disused playing field and is planning to ask the Secretary of State for Education for the consent to do this.

The school has two fields at present - one small and one larger area, neither of which are used adequately for sport, and it has said that students are taken off-site for matches.

It plans to sell the smaller field, which is on a slope and in a "extremely poor condition", with the money generated to pay for the re-development of the larger field with new sports facilities. 

The larger field currently becomes waterlogged for much of the year and suffers from large surface cracks in dry conditions because of its clay base.

On its website, the school said: "The proposal is to dispose of the freehold of part of the school's former playing field land in order to bring the remaining part of the school's playing fields to a usable standard.

"If successful, new multi-use game resources would be provided to enhance and extend the school's current playing field provision and the existing hard play provision would be upgraded to bring it up to a useable standard."

In a letter to parents, Alex Russell, Headteacher, said this is a a very important development opportunity for the school.

He said: "If successful and depending upon how much is raised we would re-invest the receipts in sports resources such as multi use games areas with artificial pitches for football and rugby, facilities for athletics including a running track, hard playing facilities for netball, and new changing facilities." 

As part of the process of applying to the Secretary of State for permission to sell the field, the school must consult the public – which it is doing until July 3. 

If the Secretary of State gives permission for the sale, any development on the land would go through the normal planning process with Epsom and Ewell Borough Council.

Concerned residents of Scotts Farm Road, next to the school, contacted the Epsom Guardian with concerns about the land being used for a housing development - a proposal which has been on the table before.

They said they are worried about pollution from the site getting into the adjacent Hogsmill river, traffic and parking, the loss of another green area, and the land being too small for a housing development.

A James, of Scotts Farm Road, said: "Sad to see the little bit of nature taken away and in place a solid housing estate in an area that measures roughly around two hundred square metres. 

"Would any future tenants be living back to back and some near a polluted river?  There is a lot to consider."

Sally Gollogly, of Scotts Farm Road, said the school has informed Gadeston Road residents of the plans but not other residents.  

She said: "We have already had someone knocked over due to the amount of traffic, somebody is going to get killed if the traffic gets worst

"We have had five new housing developments in Epsom and Ewell of which two have been on Ruxley lane in the past two years.

"There is hardly any green in the area for the children to play or for our wildlife.  Enough is enough.

"If this land is built on we are going to suffer with flooding as well.

"There aren't enough schools and doctors in the area as it is and this will get worst.

"Why can't we use the school field for allotments or keep it as a playing field?

"Save our field." 

Cheryl Horgan, who lives next door to the field, said: "Residents are not happy about this, we held a residents meeting and had over 100 people attending, we are working hard to get this stopped."

Kate Sanders, the school's business manager, said: "We are at a preliminary stage.  We have no particular plan to dispose of the land in any particular way. 

"We don’t have anybody to buy the land. 

"Some uses are more likely than others.

"We would like to be as honest and upfront as possible and wrote to some residents to let them know. 

"It is a fairly emotive subject.”

When asked about residents' concerns about a housing development being earmarked for the site, she added: "Some years ago there was a proposal by which the developer was going to re-build a new school on the smaller field and the main site would have been used as housing.”

Karen Matthews, a resident of Gadesden Road, is leading a residents' campaign against the proposed sale and has already organised two well-attended residents' meetings on the issue.

She said: "The residents feel aggrieved that they didn't know about it.  My road was written to, but not any of the others.

"This proposal is absolutely ridiculous and the residents strongly oppose any more development in their part of West Ewell.  

"The school either needs to find the money from somewhere else or people have to stand up and say 'enough is enough'.  The residents are prepared to go all the way."

A plan of the disused playing field land is available to look at in Epsom Library, in the Ebbisham Centre, Epsom, on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, from 9am to 6pm, on Tuesday and Thursday from 9am to 7pm and on Saturday from 9am to 5pm.

It can also be viewed at Ewell Library, in Bourne Hall, Spring Street, Ewell, on Tuesday from 9am to 7pm and on Tuesday to Saturday from 9am to 5pm.

The plan can be viewed until July 3.

If you have any comments on the proposals, they should be submitted in writing by July 3 to Becky Allum, by emailing becky.allum@mitie.com or by post: Becky Allum, Senior Officer: Land and Property (Schools and Vacant Schools), Lambert Smith Hampton and Mitie Partnership, Room C230, County Hall, Chelmsford, Essex, CM1 1LX.

A website dedicate to the site, started by residents, can be viewed by clicking here.