A HEATED meeting took place last week as residents and organisers discussed controversial plans for the development of sports facilities on a public park.

The Wooburn Park Sports Association (WPSA), an amalgamation of Wooburn Park Lawn Tennis Club and Wooburn Narkovians Cricket Club, wants to expand sporting resources at Wooburn Park at an estimated cost of £800,000 to £900,000.

The proposals include increasing the number of tennis courts from three to six, moving the cricket square, demolishing four existing buildings in the park and building a new clubhouse to incorporate all these buildings.

The organisers claim this can happen without changing the basic nature of the park as an open space for all.

But the idea has come under fire from residents who attended a public meeting to discuss the idea last Thursday.

Ann Robinson, of Cores End, said: "It's a harebrained scheme and there has not been nearly enough discussion before they went ahead with the plans. I'm not very happy about it, it seems they are just proposing change for change's sake. I know people think they should be doing it for the future, but there is the Junior Sports Club here in the village."

Another resident, of Wooburn Town, who asked not to be named, said he was worried about increased traffic flow in the area.

She added: "This is going to generate more traffic. I would not use the extra facilities, and I don't know anyone who would. It's a lot of money to spend on a project like this."

Gill Tomkins, secretary of the tennis club, said the organisation had learned a lot from the meeting about residents' views.

She added: "At a meeting of that kind, of course you will get a lot of people there who have strong views on the project. There were very valid concerns raised about traffic and the entrance to the park. The meeting was productive, and I think a lot of the residents' fears about the project were allayed."

The scheme is also supported by Wooburn parish councillor Mike Appleyard, who said: "I do support the plan, but there is still a long way to go in terms of getting the thing organised in such a way that it does not totally disrupt people's lives in the town.

"I do not think the physical aspect of the project will be a big problem. The main priority is to get some traffic surveys done and take it from there."