The opening times are:
- Fri 16 July 2pm to 6pm
- Sat 17 July 10am to 5pm
- Sun 18 July 10am to 4pm.
The event, organised by independent planning consultants
Alliance Planning, is designed to:
- Allow people to find out more about the need for sporting
facilities for future generations
- Show people all of the possible sites that have been
identified, as well as the shortlist, and allow people to give
their feedback
- Ask people for their top three preferences for possible
sites
- Allow people to ask questions
- Help shape the recommendations that the planning consultants
will make to the district council in Autumn.
Alliance Planning have shortlisted seven
potential site options, including a number of new site options,
having completed a thorough reappraisal of all possible sites in
the Yeovil area on behalf of South Somerset District Council.
The drop-in event will show people all of the work done so far,
explain what is involved in finding a suitable site for the
facility, and ask the public to provide their opinions on their
most preferred locations.
The district council has been working on the proposals as it is
responsible for tackling current and future deficiencies in sport
and leisure provision for the district's growing population, and
needs to put plans in place the future.
Cllr Sylvia Seal, Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Culture at
South Somerset District Council explained, "We are inviting
people to see everything that has been done so far and then give
them the opportunity to tell us, bearing in mind all of the
considerations we have to make, where they would suggest a Sports
Zone for providing sporting facilities in the long term would go in
the town.
"We really want to involve people in the site selection process,
so we want the public to see all of the possible sites that have
been identified, and help shape the recommendations that Alliance
Planning will make to the council in the Autumn.
"Even in this financial climate, we need to think of the long
term. The need is only going to grow, along with the population,
and we'd be failing our residents if we didn't start to make plans
for a project for the future. It's about preparing and having a
project ready. It's our children and grandchildren that will
benefit.
The community Sports Zone that has been proposed by South
Somerset District Council could include a 50m-competition pool,
leisure pool with flumes, fitness gym, indoor sports hall, indoor
tennis centre and climbing centre.
The idea is to include the facility into the Local Development
Framework so that contributions from local developers, alongside
external grants could be put towards the cost of a phased
project.
Earlier this year, South Somerset District Council invited
hundreds of local sports clubs, schools and potential funding
partners to help shape the process that has been used to whittle
down a long list of sites to the proposed shortlist.
Cllr Seal added, "We know there is a huge amount of support for
this kind of facility for Yeovil, but finding a location is
sensitive. It's important that local people know what we are
required to do in order to decide which locations are better than
others. We have to consider so many things."
The council hopes that many residents will take this opportunity
to see these proposals and share their views.
In April 2010, consultants Alliance Planning began a
re-appraisal process to identify all possible sites around the town
that could, size-wise, accommodate such a facility.
A report taking into account the results of the consultation
event will be compiled and presented before councillors in the
Autumn.
The final short list of potential sites presented in
alphabetical order is:
- Brimsmore Key Site
- Bunford
- Keyford
- Land adjacent to Garador
- Land East of Huish Park
- Yeovil Recreation Ground
- Yeovil Showground
We look forward to hearing your views at the consultation event.
They will shape the recommendations that the planning consultants
will make to the council in the Autumn.
The outcomes from this work will guide South Somerset District
Council on the best possible site or sites on which to locate the
Sports Zone as part of their development plans for the future.
Any future plans would have to go through the normal planning
framework, which is subject to further consultation.