LEONARD STREET PLAY AREA,
RESIDENTS' CAR PARK AND GREEN SPACE

These small open spaces off Leonard Street are probably known to most people who live or work in the
St Augustine's area. They are owned by Norwich City Council and have been underdeveloped, underfunded and pretty much comprehensively neglected by the Council for decades.

A year or two back plans were submitted by a housing association to build social housing on the bulk of this area, thus permamenly depriving local residents of these amenities, sub-standard as they are. This at time when plans were going forward to create the £3 million St Augustine's gyratory road scheme, which is now under construction, for completion in November 2010. This traffic scheme will effectively place families living in Stonemasons Court, Leonards Street, Rose Yard, Esdelle Street and parts of Magpie Road inside a giant traffic island.

The combined objections of local residents and this community group helped  to prevent planning permission being granted and these open spaces are now enshrined in the Northern City Centre Area Action Plan to be preserved for the community. Their eventual improvement, however, still depends largely on the Council receiving what is known as Section 106 money from the developers of Anglia Square; money which will not be forthcoming until building starts there, whenever that might be!

In the meantime this community group, working with local residents, are pressing the Council to examine the contracts they have with their new contractors, Connaught, for the maintenance of these area.

We would like to hear your views on these areas. Please email us by clicking the link above opposite.

We plan to discuss this issue at our next community meeting at St Augustine's Hall on 24 June (starts 7.30 p.m.)