Dogsey

Villagers have “mixed feelings” over plans to build a new activity park at a popular dog walking site.

Rushcliffe Borough Council has approved an application to build a new playground, including a ball court, basketball hoops and swings at Rectory Field, in Keyworth.

But dog owner John Rooksby takes his eight-year-old Staffie Jody to the field everyday for a three-hour walk and is worried that “the only green space of its kind in the village” may soon disappear.

He said: “There are many other dog walkers in the area who use the field every day, I’m young and if need be I could take Jody out in one of the nearby fields but older people wouldn’t be able to do that.”

Emma Piper, 40, of Charnwood Avenue, is part of the Keyworth Community Park Project team, another village group, which is attempting to raise £20,000 to revamp an existing children’s playground.

She said: “I agree that it would be a good idea to put something there but the question is what.

“There is a mixed feeling in the village. I am concerned about the plans to tarmac the lovely grass for the basketball court.”

Chairman of the parish council Tony Grice said his wife used the field to walk their dog on a daily basis.

He said: “I can’t see how it will make a difference to walking dogs as the activity park will only take up around ten per cent of the field and will be fenced off.”