Save Oakwood Park
Donation protected
Dear Neighbours,
Oakwood Park plays an essential role in our community, offering space for recreation, wellbeing and quiet connection with nature. Proposals are now being considered that would bring major changes to the park’s use and character, including increased infrastructure and restricted access.
Plans include but not limited:
- A clubhouse (25m x 15m) - with a licenced bar
- A car park with 10 spaces Changing room facilities for men and women (Two 6m x 6m buildings)
- An artificial pitch (either 3G or 4G – 100m x 64m)
- 6 further non-artificial football pitches – removing the only cricket field in west Maidstone
- The artificial pitch will be surrounded by a 15 ft fence (FA regulation)
- The artificial pitch will be lit by 6-8 floodlight pylons up to 65 ft tall
- There will be more shipping containers added to the site to house equipment (due to arrive in May).
- The King Charles III footpath for dog-walkers around site permitter will be tarmacked.
Additionally, St Augustine's has articulated that they will relocate the cricket field elsewhere on site, however the space that they have been allocated is not big enough to play a cricket game, leaving them only enough room for batting practice.
Hours of use
- The new facilities are set to be utilised 7 days a week, 365 days a year
- St Augustine's Academy plan to utilise the new facilities during school hours
- Barming Youth Football Club is set to use the site every evening, every Saturday, and every Sunday.
- Barming Youth Football Club has said that they are planning to hire the clubhouse and bar out for events, once their games are concluded.
- Kick- off will start at 9am with pitches in use until 10pm.
- Barming Youth Football Club currently runs 25 teams, and wishes to extend its football club to female football teams.
- Although called a youth football club, they run adult teams as well. For instance, the men’s football team will also be playing on Oakwood Park every weekend with kick-off starting at 3pm.
Images
- One of the images on this site shows the proposed plans.
- One photo shows the land that would be built upon. You would not see any greenery anymore under the proposals.
- One image shows local residents playing football, playing cricket, and walking their dog.
Why are we fundraising?
These changes raise real concerns about environmental impact, public access, and the long-term character of this valuable green space. There are concerns about the traffic, noise and light pollution for the surrounding neighbourhood. Now is the time for us to engage, ask questions and ensure any decisions truly reflect the needs of the wider community.
We want to consult local residents about the plans, and to undertake varies surveys that may be beneficial when the matter is taken to a planning committee (e.g. wildlife surveys, noise surveys, traffic surveys, etc). We also believe we'd benefit from receiving planning consultant advice. This all costs money. (For instance, we understand a noise survey will cost circa £2,000).
Please donate to protect our neighbourhood.
Who are we?
Save Oakwood Park is a local residents group set up to tackle the planning set out by St Augustine's Academy and Barming Youth Football Club.
- We are local neighbours and residents.
- We are not affiliated to any political group or commercial organisation.
Join us...
We are in our early stages of organisation and therefore looking for like-minded individuals who want to join us in action.
You can do so by contacting us via Go Fund Me. Scroll down further, and there is a section called 'Organiser' and then a 'Contact' button to press.
(This website advises us not to share our email address to avoid phishing scams).
Thank you for considering this request.
Organizer
Sarah Nurden
Organizer