CHILDREN from a Southampton school have made an impassioned appeal to neighbours over controversial plans to take over part of a Southampton park.

Pupils at Bitterne Park Primary School have sent a heartfelt handwritten letter to residents asking them to attend an open evening to discuss proposals that the school leases a field in Riverside Park for 25 years.

The field, which is the size of two football pitches, is just behind the school and pupils have drawn a detailed picture of their proposed “green play space”.

The letter reads: “There are a number of reasons why we would like the field.

“Firstly, due to the fact that we need more than one member of staff to supervise us, our time on the green play space is limited.

“You may be aware that dogs are banned from the field by the council but they still have a risk. Our teachers have to check the paths and green for soiling.”

The letter also explain that the only area the children have to play on is currently a concrete playground which gets overcrowded. They would use the extra space for lessons like science and geography as well.

“You don’t need to worry about chopped down trees done by people or destroying such a beautiful space and building on it,” the letter adds.

“Our school have said that they will pay to re-route the current path over the shortest option.

“We have also kindly offered to pay to re-fence the whole area safely.”

More than 100 people crammed into Bitterne Park Social Club for a previous meeting to discuss the plan.

It saw residents and the Friends of Riverside Park raise concerns about access to the land.

Bitterne Park Primary School is proposing to build an 8ft fence around the field, re-route a public footpath and limit public access to it during and after school hours.

The proposal will mean that the field is used solely by the school unless it is booked by community groups during school hours.

The meeting will take place on Wednesday, December 3, at 7.30pm in the school’s hall.