Newbold Comyn’s just a park, isn’t it? So why have ‘a few family friendly cycle trails’ caused so much discord?
Obviously, a great many of us love the Comyn and have an emotional connection with it. But essentially, it’s just a park. Somewhere we can play football, or walk the dog, or sit and enjoy nature.
So why are we here? Well, in many ways the Friends of Newbold Comyn exist because of some recent developments.
Here’s a little bit of background
A few years ago, the golf course, approximately half of the whole of Newbold Comyn, closed. It simply wasn’t viable, people weren’t using it and it cost too much to maintain.
Very quickly, the community took back the Old Golf Course. With swooping hills and beautiful wooded areas, it became one of the most popular walking spots around.
During lockdown it became even busier
Parents brought their children and taught them to ride bikes, people had picnics, they sat and simply enjoyed the open air, friends could socialise but still keep their distance. Dog walkers were everywhere.
Children had always loved tobogganing down the hills in winter – now they could play on them whenever they liked.
Cyclists made their own desire lines around the Comyn, weaving in and out of the wooded areas and enjoying the thrill of the hills.
There had never been so many different people using this space
And with no one having to dodge golf balls anymore and half of our Comyn restored to the whole community, rather than to one user group, we were all pretty happy.
But Warwick District Council ignored how we were using the space, and decided they had to find out how they could use the space.
They ran some surveys to see what people loved and valued about the Comyn and the Old Golf Course. The results were resounding.
The hills. The views. The space. The peace and quiet. The safety. The trees. The woods. The wildlife and nature.
They suggested zip wires, high ropes and climbing walls. Local residents said they wanted an extension to the nature reserve. They suggested an artificial football pitch. Less than 5% of people said they’d use it.
It was clear – most locals didn’t want the Comyn developed or commercialised.
Nevertheless, WDC submitted a planning application in May 2021. It contained designs for a mountain bike park, one that would take over two-thirds of the Old Golf Course.
If the plans were agreed, walking in that area would potentially be quite dangerous. It would certainly change the whole look and feel of the place.
It would also turn most of our Old Golf Course back into a niche area.
The plans created division within the community
It was an upsetting time. People took sides and there was a huge amount of fighting between the different groups – those for the MTB park and those who wanted the Comyn left alone.
But funding had already been sourced, so the application was granted and development began.
The MTB trails were larger and more advanced than a lot of people expected. They certainly didn’t look anything like the Council had portrayed.
What was built on the Old Golf Course isn’t what was submitted at planning
The development doesn’t adhere to the drawings submitted at planning, and there are other noted breaches, including their tree protection plan. And despite the Council saying this will stay a multi-use area, there are all kinds of safety issues including the main point of access to the trails which crosses the perimeter path of the golf course, and at crossing points around the trails.
There is no definitive safety and access management plan to inform the public how pedestrians and other users can stay safe and co-exist harmoniously.
This is our position
The Friends of Newbold Comyn aren’t against bike trails
But given the results of the survey, and the way the land was used by the community previously, we don’t believe the Old Golf Course was the right location for them. However, we now feel that they should be managed in a way that means that all users can continue to share the Old Golf Course.
We have concerns with the way the Council has managed the process
Their narrative throughout was misleading and there was no consultation about these plans. Their promotional posters and press releases misled the public, and under Andrew Day, the previous leader, they attempted to silence and discredit anyone who didn’t agree with them. We’ll continue to follow up our concerns whenever it’s relevant to do so.
What happens next?
The Council is currently applying for restrospective planning permission and what will happen next remains to be seen. The trails are still closed and cannot be used while these important issues are worked through.
As a group, we feel it’s important to work with the new administration to make sure the Old Golf Course and the rest of the Comyn stays a shared and safe space for everyone. Fortunately, the new administration has also expressed a willingness to work with us.
This means that the FoNC will collaborate with the Green Party and the Labour Party to support a robust access and safety management plan for the Old Golf Course to make sure the space stays safe for all to use – and we will push to become a consultee for any future plans or further development on the Comyn.