Subject: Local Authority Open Space - Conflict between footballers and householders.

From: [email-masked] (Ivan Le Fevre)
Date: Fri, 28 Jun 1996 02:01:58 GMT

Within the Newbury District Council area there are many housing
estates dating from the '50s, '60s and '70s.  These estates contain
numerous small pockets of grass open space tucked in amongst the
houses.  Teenagers use these spaces to play football (soccer), often
using garden fences or young trees as the goal posts.  This results in
conflict between the teenagers and householders; which often provokes
frustrated vandalism and 'phone calls to the police. 

The problem is how to control this conflict; allowing youngsters to
play their sport without being harrassed by adults, while ensuring
that house holders can enjoy their gardens in relative peace.

We have been wrestling with this problem for many years.  Even when
there are large playing fields close by, these inappropriate open
spaces are still used for football.  We have tried tree and shrub
planting along the boundaries to create a buffer zones, and involving
Youth & Community Workers; without yet having resolved the problem.  

I would be very keen to hear from anyone who has implemented a
landscape strategy that has successfully tackled this issue - or if
anyone has any ideas......

If anyone else has this problem I will happily forward any responses.

Ivan

________________________________________________________

Ivan Le Fevre
Parks Countryside & Tourism
Newbury District Council
Berkshire, UK
[email-masked] or [email-masked]
________________________________________________________

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From: [email-masked] (Ivan Le Fevre)
Date: Sat, 29 Jun 1996 02:43:43 GMT

[email-masked] (David Hughes) wrote:

>[email-masked] (Ivan Le Fevre) wrote:

>The solution is simple: knock down the houses!

>David Hughes
>Bath
>England
>Tel 01225 836076
>E-mail: [email-masked]

Dammit!  I wish I'd thought of that one.  Thats lateral thinking for
you!

Have fun on your run.  Don't terrorize the worthy gentle-folk of the
Cotswolds too much.

Cheers,

Ivan

[email-masked]