Heaton Park is still (probably) Europe’s biggest municipal park. I live near the main gates and obviously enjoy walks in the park with my children. Over the last few years there has been a lot of improvements carried out in the park.

However, there also seems to be an attempt by the council to eat away at the park.

They built two new car parks, one for the new children’s playground reached via the St Margaret’s entrance.

The other car park leads directly from Sheepfoot Lane.

There was also the idiotic idea that a school should be transferred into the park. Yes it’s land, but it’s not meant for development – it’s meant for all of Manchester’s people to use.

And now the council are building two pedestrian gates on the Bury Old Road side of the park. Presumably because of the Oasis concerts scheduled for 4th, 6th and 7th June this year.

It makes you wonder how we’ve coped with "only" having the gates we have at the moment, which to give them their due do seem to be able to cope with quite massive amounts of people.

For example, there are actually two large gates very close to the two new ones plus a smaller pedestrian one nearer to the Heaton Park metro station. And of course a little further down Sheepfoot Lan we’ve the gates to the new car park and another gate a little further down from there.

Obviously I’ve a vested interested in the park remaining undeveloped, that is as a park, because I live right next to it.

But more than that, I really believe this park is the jewel in the Manchester’s crown of greenery and to chip away at it is like chipping  away at a flawless cut diamond it devalues it’s use to future generations of Mancuions.

Hopefully, these gates are as far as the council are nibbling away at the park. However, I’m not holding my breath!

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