Hundreds of people attended a consultation held by
Alliance Planning consultants on behalf of South Somerset District
Council this summer to share their views on potential site
options.
The district council has been working on proposals for a 'Sports
Zone' facility as it needs to put plans in place to tackle current
and future deficiencies in sport and leisure provision for the
district's growing population.
Although it is recognised that development and funding may be
years away, the council has to start planning now.
Local people were asked for their views on a shortlist of seven
possible sites, and to give their top three preferences. This was
underpinned by a comprehensive search and assessment process
carried out by Alliance Planning, Royal Haskoning and Greenslade
Taylor Hunt.
The assessment looked thoroughly at all of the potential sites,
shortlisting those with the greatest development potential, and set
out the strengths and weaknesses of each shortlisted site.
Taking into account the consultation results and the
environmental, commercial and planning assessments, the report
recommends that the Brimsmore and Bunford sites are the two most
appropriate locations.
You can see the whole Site Options reappraisal final report
here
Appendices
Appendix A - Site options reappraisal
consultants brief
Appendix B - Constraints map
Appendix C - Stakeholder workshop approach and
findings
Appendix D - Initial long list of sites
Appendix E - Long list of site options
Appendix F - Long list site assessment
results
Appendix G - Short list of site options
Appendix H - Public exhibition display boards
and feedback form
Brimsmore and Bunford were the top two preferences of those who
took part in the public consultation, and as well as having strong
support from the community, both sites are appropriate in size and
shape and both comply with planning criteria.
It means that the new facility, which could provide a
50m-competition pool, leisure pool with flumes, fitness gym, indoor
sports halls and climbing centre, could be based within one of the
two brand new developments.
Previously, Yeovil Recreation Centre had been the favoured
location. At a meeting in February 2009, councillors voted not to
progress further at Yeovil Recreation Ground. However, councillors
showed a clear commitment to providing a sports zone somewhere
within the town, so a full site options re-appraisal was later
commissioned, which showed that several new potential sites had
become available.
Councillors will now consider the report and decide how they
would like to go forward on the sports zone issue.
The Brimsmore key site currently has outline planning permission
for around 830 homes, shops, a primary school and other facilities
along the edge of Thorne Lane.
The Bunford site, which is the land next to Bunford Hill and
along the Western Relief Road, has planning permission as a
business park.
The idea is that the district council pursues negotiations with
the developers on these sites for possibly including a sports zone
facility as part of the new developments when they are built.
Cllr Tim Carroll, Leader of South Somerset District Council
said, "Should councillors decide to pursue negotiations, then we
will start to investigate whether there are ways of including this
facility, for local people, within these new developments. Clearly
there could be many benefits of doing so, and it could provide the
solution we have been looking for."
Should councillors decide in the next few months to proceed,
officers will begin negotiations and will report back to
councillors.
No further funding has yet been allocated towards the project as
the council needs to identify a site for further investigation,
before any further funding is required.
Any formal proposals to include a sports zone would have to go
through the usual planning process, so the necessary planning
considerations would have to be made to account for the proposed
new facility even if the wider development already has outline
planning permission.
The project, if progressed, would probably be phased, and paid
for in part by contributions from local developers and external
grants.
From 16 to 18 July we invited local people to view
the seven potential sites for the proposed Sport Zone and to
have their say on the different locations. Find out more about
the consultation event.