HITCHIN: It's not been a good week for North Herts Council.

With its leader refusing to be interviewed by Hitchin Nub News over the growing scandal that is the Lord Lister property deal NHC has now upset residents near to Bancroft.

As anyone who has recently visited the popular open space in Hitchin town centre will testify, a strange orange object has arrived.

Hitchin Nub News has looked into this new arrival, which, apparently is new fangled play equipment called an interactive dance arch.

£46k eyesore set to deafen residents with dance music

However, the problems are that it costs a whopping £46,300, is described as an eyesore by local residents who were not consulted on the decision - and it is set to blast out dance music at such decibels that it will deafen people living nearby.

According to manufacturers instructions, seen by Nub News, "as a rule of thumb, we advise not to place an interactive playlet within 50 metres of the nearest residence."

However, as you can see from our Nub News picture, the arc is sited much nearer than that to the numerous apartments at Starlings Bridge, next to Bancroft.

Local resident Bob Dha told Hitchin Nub News: "This eyesore has appeared in the last week or so without any consultation.

"I was shocked to learn that this interactive dance arch will be playing music all day. The manufacturers recommend that due to the noise that it not be installed within 50 meters from residential buildings.

"NHC have, for reasons unknown, decided instead to place it as close as possible to residential buildings when there are far more suitable places in the park for it."

Mr Dha added: "The management of this once lovely park is bewildering, last summer they allowed the fairground lorries to drive around the whole park which has now caused the grass to be bumpy and uneven all around.

"The affected areas have never been repaired and I suspect they will again allow the lorries to return and make it even worse in summer."

Councillor Steve Jarvis, denied it was a problem.

NHC's Executive Member for Environment and Leisure insisted that: [I]"The equipment is being installed in line with guidance from the manufacturers and we will have the opportunity to control the volumes and times that it is in use, so it should not cause any problems for residents.

"This is part of a project to install interactive play equipment in each North Herts town to provide new play opportunities for children across the district over the next few months.

"We hope that children will enjoy the new experiences that it offers.

"The cost of the sound arc is £46,300 which is funded from the council's play area capital investment budget."

What do YOU think of our town's new interactive play arch? Get in touch.

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