RESIDENTS trying to stop an all weather sports pitch being built on their doorsteps have been left outraged after they were banned from a site visit. Homeowners on Ramshill and Shear Hill are incensed they were not invited to join district councillors in viewing the proposed site to the rear of Churcher's College. And now they fear there is a "hidden agenda", and are accusing the school of a "lack of transparency". Leading campaigner Joe Wheeler told The Herald this week: "The action group had no intention of organising a mass protest at the site visit. All they proposed was that one representative of each of the seven most affected households should attend as observers, and this has been turned down. "One of the reasons given for the rejection was on the grounds of safety and child protection, yet three of the households are teachers or retired teachers who have full clearance under the provisions of child protection legislation. "So the question is why are Churcher's banning observers from the site visit? Is there a hidden agenda? "Do they intend making statements to the councillors which are not truly correct and which the representative of the action group cannot refute at the council meeting? "This lack of transparency is to be deplored, and 65 residents of our town are outraged at the stance taken by the bursar. The school intends to build the pitch backing onto Shear Hill, just yards from residents' back gardens. But the plans sparked protests from people in neighbouring roads, who claimed noise and light pollution from late-night "community use" would make their lives a misery. But Churcher's College bursar David Robbins said the accusation that the school was hiding something was unfair. And in a letter to objectors explaining the school's stance, he said anyone was welcome to organise a separate site visit with him. The letter said: "We have been advised by EHDC that a planning committee site visit is required, and this is scheduled for Friday, January 27. "Following advice from the EHDC planning officer and after consideration of the practical issues for a normal school day with safety and child protection requirements, the site visit of the planning committee will not be open to the public. "We are, however, happy for members of the public who wish to view the proposed site to do so at an alternative time."
