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Sports Club Statement

By Amy White East Woodhay Parish Council

Monday, 28 June 2021

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

East Woodhay Parish Council Contributor

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Sports Club Statement, June 2021

1. EWPC are aware there has been some concern raised by a resident within the Parish with respect to sporting facilities (East Woodhay Cricket Club, Woolton Hill Sports Club, referred to as the Tennis Club and Woolton Hill Argyle, referred to as Woolton Hill Football Club) and the emerging Parish Neighbourhood Plan for East Woodhay.

2. The recent Annual Parish Meeting was a useful moment to confirm the perspective of EWPC regarding sporting facilities within the Parish. We have read the concerns raised and will do our best to give reassurance as follows:

3. A sub-committee of EWPC ( “Project Club Together 2020”) considered the possible provision of a new combined sports facility for East Woodhay in 2016-17, to be assisted in funding by the significant potential S106 funds available from the Harwood Paddock development. After consulting with all the sports clubs in the Parish, it transpired that there was no appetite for them to unite and to share a joint facility. As a result, the sub-committee made no recommendations and disbanded itself after only three meetings.

Subsequently, I was asked to manage the Harwood Paddock S106 funds. Working together with Basingstoke and Deane Spend Managers, and after reviewing the work of the sub-committee and following further detailed consultations with the sports clubs, the S106 funds specifically allocated to them (£41,895) were disbursed according to their present locations.This was key to the Spend Managers as there are allocation rules based on site ownership.

4. Following this S106 investment, a further Local Infrastructure Fund (LIF) grant was invested into the Tennis Club, again based on the club’s desire to remain in its present location. Any further LIF spend on our sports clubs will be based on the present club locations.

5. Having regard to the level of investment which has now been made into the sports clubs at their current sites and their stated desire to remain where they are, the emerging Neighbourhood Plan endorses the existing mix of sites for sports facilities in East Woodhay. This endorsement is important to the extent that a Neighbourhood Plan can be invoked, by the clubs when seeking to obtain potential funding in the future and when protecting the various club sites from housing development. It is recognised that Woolton Hill Football Club wish to remain in their present sites but are also facing capacity constraints from their continued success. Therefore, if opportunity came up to expand their facilities, additional to their present lease sites, either in or adjacent to the Parish they would look at the opportunity to do so.

6. EWPC will not support plans to acquire new or existing sports sites, or to develop or expand community facilities within the Parish without the express consent of owners of the land in question and without the support of the users of that site. In such an eventuality then it would be appropriate to undertake consultation with all members of the Parish. I am not aware of any plans for such development.

Cllr Paul Hurst

Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group Chair

On behalf of the NP Steering Group and EWPC

Contact Information

Amy White

Find East Woodhay Parish Council

Guilton Ash, Tile Barn, Woolton Hill, East Woodhay, Newbury, Hampshire, RG20 9UX

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