Hundreds sign petition to take down fence around Cippenham car park

A petition has been launched to take down a fence that turned a car park near Eltham Avenue Recreation Ground into ‘a prison compound’. 

Residents launched the petition on August 11 with the support of ward councillor Frank O’Kelly (Lib Dem, Cippenham Village) after security fencing was installed around a car park in Cippenham. 

The car park is adjacent to an outdoor gym and changing rooms as part of the Eltham Avenue Recreation Ground. 

 The fence will offer a secure car park for school minibuses offered by Slough Bourgh Council as part of its ‘home to school’ transport service for children.

But a group of residents are angry with the council because no announcement or public consultation was carried out before the erection of the fence started.

Over 500 signatures have already been collected, with calls to the council to stop any further development until a public consultation is carried out.

Cllr Frank O’Kelly (Lib Dem, Cippenham Village) backed residents in their appeal to the council to take down the fence. 

Some of the concerns raised to Cllr O’Kelly included the reduced access to the outdoor gym and sports facilities and the negative impact the fence has on the green landscape surrounding it. 

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Cllr O’Kelly said: “Any changes to a local community should include an impact assessment to find out what effect it is going to have. That should be a requirement for any material changes to an area. 

“It has gone from being a very pleasant view across the green space heading to the M4 into something that looks like an industrial complex.

“When you are driving down the road there is a blind spot created from that fence because it’s 8ft high. It’s like the whole car park is in a prison compound.”

The work towards the fence started just a few days after a motion to improve the borough’s parks was unanimously approved during a full council meeting on July 24. 

The petition page requested that the location of the compound must be reassessed with ‘alternatives that do not undermine the wellbeing, safety, and utility of a vital community green space’ to be considered. 

Resident Jen Simpson said: “The car park has been extremely valuable to local community groups including a local health and fitness company, EL Fitness, and FC Cippenham, the local grassroots community youth football team. 

“There was no need for a secure fence because vehicles were not kept in the car park overnight.  

“The new fence might provide security for school minibuses that it is said will be stored there, but it seems to completely block access to the car park for pedestrians.”

Ms Simpson said that previously, a low wooden fence surrounded the car park, which allowed pedestrians to walk through the parking area to reach the outdoor gym and sports fields. 

A Slough Borough Council spokesperson said the petition will be dealt with under the council’s petition scheme. 

To be debated at a full council meeting, the petition has to reach at least 1,500 signatures from residents working or living in the borough. 

Slough residents can sign the e-petition until September 8.