New sports facilities plan for Tooting

Release date: 30/01/2008

By: Charlie Masson Smith
Telephone 020 8871 6173 or email cmassons@wandsworth.gov.uk

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New sports facilities plan for Tooting

 Wandsworth Council is to draw up plans to provide new sports facilities on Tooting Common.

The council is looking to remove a disused youth club and replace the existing One O'Clock Centre and playground with updated and improved facilities.

The existing floodlit all-weather area would also be replaced with modern all-weather five-a-side football pitches and changing facilities for use by local people.

The main grassed areas of the "Tooting Triangle", which already accommodate a wide range of formal and casual activities would be left untouched.

Executive member for environment and leisure Cllr Malcolm Grimston said: "Local parents tell us they want extra facilities for their children in this part of Tooting. We are now looking to see if this is possible and if so how these could best be provided.

"These are early days yet but if a scheme does get the go-ahead, it would give local teenagers the chance to enjoy some top quality sporting facilities and give them something to do instead of leaving them to hang around on street corners.

"This part of the Triangle was built on many years ago and is not a grassed area. But because a small piece of common land may be required to fit in all the things we want to offer young people, we would propose replacing that with the nearby Woodfield Recreation Ground.

"This piece of land would effectively become part of the common and would benefit from the planting of suitable flora to enhance the common's overall biodiversity. This recreation ground would also become fully accessible as a green open space for all residents."

Once the plans have been finalised they will be subject to full consultation with local residents and also the independent Tooting Common Management Advisory Committee.