Teachers demand facilities for children on estate

A housing estate needs more outdoor sports and play facilities, local school teachers have said.

Laura Owen, from Manor Drive Primary School in Peterborough, said she believed the present facilities were inadequate on the Manor Drive estate.

"There's land around the area that's ear-marked for a playground and football pitch but unfortunately it has not been developed yet," she said.

Peterborough City Council said it took the concerns "extremely seriously".

Fellow teacher Fern Rowe added that a lack of available "active areas" would affect the children's ability to lead a healthy lifestyle.

"We want the children to be encouraged to be healthy, get out and do exercise," she said.

"If they haven't got the facilities to do those kinds of things, then how are we supposed to encourage it?"

A campaign group called Forgotten Fields launched earlier this year to highlight that the estate's facilities were limited to one playground, one post box and two bus stops, reported the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

While on a geography field trip, six-year-old Noah appeared to speak for many of his classmates when he said: "I would like a big football pitch [so that] I could play with my friends."

Peterborough City Council said in a statement: "We take concerns from residents in the Roman Fields area over a lack of facilities for children and young people extremely seriously and our officers are actively working to find solutions for improved services and facilities there."

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