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Tettenhall funfair plan was badly handled, says Wolverhampton councillor

A community leader says the city council handled their proposal for a controversial fun fair in Tettenhall 'completely incorrectly'.

Published
Jonathan Yardley

Wolverhampton City Council was forced to axe their plan for the fair on The Green from the end of July to the start of September after a petition opposing it was signed by almost 2,500 residents.

The site, which is considered one of Wolverhampton's most beautiful natural areas, would have been taken over by a travelling fair, a Ferris wheel, bumper cars, portable toilets and hot dog stands.

Councillor Elias Mattu, who was overseeing the plans, said 'people power' had won the day after the plans were scrapped.

The news was welcomed by the Conservative councillor, who represents the Tettenhall Regis area, who said the council had failed to conduct proper consultation with the areas councillors and residents.

He said: "It is good news for the people of Tettenhall.

"This turnaround is all down to them and their reaction to having this funfair imposed on them without proper consultation.

"The people made their opinions very clear and the council had to withdraw.

"The whole thing had been handled completely incorrectly by the council.

"It was presented to the Tettenhall councillors as a done deal."

Councillor Yardley also congratulated residents who fought back against the plans, which he said would have had a 'degrading' effect on the area.

The Upper Green at Tettenhall

A petition set up on change.org gathered 2,415 signatures in just three days as the community backlash gained momentum.

Councillor Yardley said: "The people clearly got together quickly after the news broke and decided they didn't want this to happen.

"They set up an online petition which was incredibly successful and nearly hit its desired signature total very quickly.

"The councillors in Tettenhall have been inundated with calls from people wanting to know how they could add their name to the petition if they didn't use the internet, so you can the variety of people the plans have upset.

"Tettenhall residents love the area because of its beauty and green spaces, it is a beautiful place and they want it preserved properly.

"Every so often the council will come up with ideas that could damage that without consulting the people it will be detrimental to and the area it will be degrading.

"I think this was just a step too far, especially when you consider the lack of consultation."

Upper Green regularly sees up to 3,000 visitors a day in the summer, leading to bottle-necked roads, double parking and problems with litter.

The popular City Show and bonfire have been moved from West Park with council chiefs concerned over parking problems and that turf in the park was being torn up by heavy vehicles.

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