Campaigners are celebrating after the Government called for a review of Islington council plans to downsize Barnard Park’s community pitch.
Local campaigners have been fighting council plans to remove the community pitch in Barnard Park. Islington Labour had put forward a plan to replace the pitch with a smaller space.
Islington Greens have been supporting campaigners against the plans. The large public pitch fills up with young footballers every weekend. A smaller pitch that is sometimes rented out privately will not be the same.
Caroline Russell and Green campaigner Benali Hamdache at Barnard Park
Green councillor Caroline Russell said “It’s welcome that the government has called for a review of the decision. It’s clear that they agree that the plans are reducing a community resource. We should be making sport as accessible as possible. Losing one of the free public pitches in Islington is not a step forward.
