Sports Development Project
Harwell Pavilion Project
We have outline planning permission!!
Way back in 2003 the Village Plan identified the need for improved sports facilities in the village. We have a wonderful recreation ground, and one of the factors limiting its use at the moment is the size and age of the existing pavilion. Built 57 years ago, we're told, it's showing its age and struggles to provide changing facilities for even just one match.
A committee was formed at the request of, and with the full support of, the Parish Council to bring together all the sports clubs in the village, first to define what may be needed, and second to seek outline planning permission for ”a new pavilion”. The pavilion will be on the rec, next to the British Legion, so the Legion too were part of the committee.
Last year (2008) the committee set itself up more formally and, imaginatively, called itself Harwell 2008. The formal setup enabled it to raise funds from its members in agreed proportions and to seek outline planning permission for a new pavilion.
This outline planning permission has now been granted, and is valid for three years.
So we now need to raise funds, agree the details of the building, seek final planning permission, get quotes for building, and of course to do the actual building.
The existing committee, Harwell 2008, was set up expressly to get the outline planning permission. Having achieved this, the agreement behind it lapses, although the members have agreed to continue working together to advance the project.
Current thinking is that we should have a similar set-up with shared responsibility between all the sports clubs and others such as the Parish Council and the British Legion, and that we should also seek representatives from the village who can speak for the wider community without having ties to the Parish Council or any of the other parties involved. Volunteers anyone?
Raising the money is obviously going to be a challenge. We think we have found some people who can help us do this, and are confident that the money is there from a combination of national and local sources.
Hopefully, by the end, we will have raised all the money we need to cover all our costs. However, we will need to spend money before we can raise money, so we are looking at ways in which we can make this possible. We also need to make sure that we know what will happen if for some reason we fail to find all the funding, or if the cost increases beyond our budget. In short we need a good lawyer, and a good contingency plan.
OK, that's the formal, challenging, bit. What's the plan?
We envisage a community building on the edge of the recreation ground, which will be a pleasure to use, and will increase the usage of the recreation ground. Part of this building will be the British Legion building, which we hope will be refurbished and more open to use by the whole village. However, their plans are a separate topic and are not part of the pavilion project.
At the far end of the Legion building, next to the rec, will be a single storey building with changing rooms, with sufficient capacity to support several games at the same time. The west, the recreation ground, side of the building will have a covered area for spectators. This building will be joined to the Legion building with space for officials’ changing rooms, and a tea room.
At the east end of the Legion, running beside the bowls ground, will be a building with a short mat indoor bowls pitch and the snooker tables which are currently in the Legion. Moving these tables greatly helps the Legion free up space and plan for better use of their internal areas. Above this, for half its length, will be a Parish Office and committee room (to replace the facilities now in the old pavilion), plus toilets and a small changing area for the bowls club. The building will be finished by a sloping roof down towards Westfield.
The Pavilion Committee and the Parish Council are planning an open meeting in the Village Hall on Wednesday Dec 2nd, at 2000, with the plans available for view from 1730, and members of both groups present to answer questions before the formal meeting.
Some of the questions which we anticipate concern the positioning of the building and the provision of parking spaces; how will safe pedestrian access for casual users of the rec be possible, especially when the car park is busy; do the proposed internal arrangements of the space, especially the changing rooms and the tea room meet the needs of the village as well as the those of the sports clubs; and of course how will the project be integrated with the British Legion.
Do please come and give us your views and help this project become a reality.
Harwell already has a reputation for being a very friendly village with lots of clubs and activities available to people of all ages. With improved sports facilities we can enhance our use of the recreation ground and provide opportunities for more villagers of all ages to take part in a sport, and continue to encourage a healthy community.
John Delfosse, Chairman, Harwell 2008 Pavilion Project
David Marsh, Chairman, Harwell Parish Council
From Harwell News October 2009
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