As you may have heard, the local Council (London Borough of Merton) is considering the installation of a caged and floodlit full-sized football Artificial Grass Pitch (AGP) in Sir Joseph Hood Memorial Playing Field (SJHMPF), at a cost of well over £1million. The Council has stated that there is “a clear demand” for an AGP, but not why SJHMPF is a suitable site.
The Friends are keen to support changes which improve the park, but we are concerned because:
- Our park is only small and the proposed AGP would dominate the available space and change the park’s character;
- So that the Council can control paid access, the AGP would be fully enclosed behind a metal cage (larger than a standard football pitch), resulting in loss of the openness and vistas valued by many park users;
- The floodlighting would disturb wildlife in the park, such as bats;
- The extra footfall will put even more pressure on access and the very limited parking available;
- The AGP could be used for up to 80 hours a week, including evenings, increasing noise and disturbance; and
- The environmental impact of both the proposed 3G pitch and the rubber crumb infill used, which is classified as a microplastic. Even with the best mitigation measures, we are worried about the spread of dust and fine particles from this material throughout the park. Of particular concern is the potential contamination of the children's play area and the nearby Beverley Brook, where microplastic pollution could negatively affect both the local ecosystem and community health.
We are very disappointed that:
- The Council has not conducted any formal consultation with the Friends or regular park users, other than footballers; yet
- The decision appears to have already been made as the funding for the AGP is included in the draft Council budget for 2026/27.
We (the Friends) are therefore telling local residents and other park users about the proposal and asking for their opinions so we can provide data to the Council to inform their decision-making. If the proposal goes further the results will also inform the Friends’ response to the planning application which will have to be made.
Please tell us what you think by completing this questionnaire.
*These images are our representation of what a full-size AGP would look like in the position we understand the council is proposing.
