The Welney WebsiteProposed New Pavilion at Welney Playing Fieldpage created 10th Oct 2014; last updated Sunday, 23 June 2019 |
The Welney WebsiteProposed New Pavilion at Welney Playing Fieldpage created 10th Oct 2014; last updated Sunday, 23 June 2019 |
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IntroductionPage HistoryThe content was written on 22nd November 2015 and although the page style has been revised since then the text has not been altered - it is as the situation was then.BackgroundIn 2005 Welney Parish Council embarked on a major project to replace the Parish's two poor-quality and loss-making buildings - the Parish Hall at the junction of Main Street and Bedford Bank East, and the Pavilion at Welney Playing Field, Hurne Drove - with one new all-purpose Community Centre.The siteThe decision was also taken to build the new facility at the Playing Field because that land is owned, in effect, by the Parish, and is therefore rent-free, whereas the only realistic option, the Hall site, is rented from the Environment Agency. The lease expires in April 2016 and the landlords say that renewal would incur a substantial rent increase (and no doubt would be increased every five years thereafter). Contrary to popular belief the Hall itself is also leased, and has been since 1950, probably due to an error drafting a new lease. A site suggested by some is at Sandgate Corner, on land owned by the Borough Council. To obtain capital funding to build there, planning permission and a long-term lease or land purchase would be needed, and the Parish Council would still have the running costs of two buildings so it is not a viable option. |
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Latest news headlines
14th Oct 2015
Sport England award £43k WREN confirmed £37k 13th July 2015 Planning Granted with very few conditions see KL&WN BC website |
The first nine years, 2005-2014Progress on various Community Centre plans was very slow and beset with problems, some unforeseen others seemingly self-inflicted. The story has been chronicled on many pages on this website; suffice here to say that the Council did eventually obtain planning permission in 2011, but then found what others had predicted, that the cost of the permitted building was way above what could realistically be funded. The project stalled and eventually they conceded that a cheaper alternative had to be considered. It was a sensible decision but the opinion of many parishioners is that it would have been better if made 4 years earlier, before spending £2,500 on planning applications for an unaffordable building.In the summer of 2013 the idea of a prefabricated building was accepted and a proposal by MRC Construction of Barroway Drove for a 5 or 6 section "modular" building was agreed in principle. However, the project stalled again and there was no real progress over the next eight months. A fresh approach and new ideas, April 2014In April 2014 the Council Chairman, Ken Goodger, accepted a suggestion from a parishioner that the project stood more chance of success if it was taken over by an independent non-council group working on behalf of both the Council and the community. Another parishioner was persuaded to assist and in three weeks the internal layout was reviewed and amended, the site was measured and possible building lines charted, potential funding bodies contacted, a plan of action proposed and a fully costed budget prepared.The Chairman was kept informed throughout (and helped to measure the site) and duly invited the two parishioners to present their ideas to the Council at their May meeting. The idea was not universally welcomed. One Councillor (Cllr Mrs Dobson) ridiculed the parishioners efforts and rejected their building layout even though it was a huge improvement on the one the Council had sat on for 8 months. The Chairman could (and many think should) have stopped the Councillor's rudeness to the guests, but didn't and neither he or the Councillor has apologised. Council hand project to an independent group, June 2014A month later, in June 2014, after the intervention of two Borough Councillors, Council did agree they were unlikely to complete the project and voted to allow the formation of a group of mainly non-councillors to be selected by John Loveday and chaired by him to take over the project.That group, subsequently named the Welney Pavilion Action Team, are "charged" by the Council with obtaining funds and commissioning a building on a "turn-key basis", subject to Terms of Reference and two appointed Councillors as members who report to the Council as necessary. |
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The Welney Pavilion Action TeamMembers: John Loveday (Chair), Jane Barr (Secretary), Heidi Cowles, Nigel Flemming, Holly Trundle, Vija Pratley, Pat Rix and Ann Wardle.Grant applications sub-team: Nigel Flemming, Vija Pratley, Ann Wardle and Jane Barr. Local fund raising sub-team: Holly Trundle, Heidi Cowles and Pat Rix. Parish Council nominees: Vija Pratley and Ann Wardle. |
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The project - what is plannedOn this page you should find just about all you want to know about the project - background information, comments made in issue 101 of the Welney News with my attempt to answer them, plans and drawings, a size comparison table and side-by-side floor plans of all three buildings and the finances - what is needed, how that might be achieved and how much has been raised to date.I'm Peter Cox, and I was a founding member of the group/Team but have since had to stand-down due to other commitments (including this website). I still support the Team's aims and efforts but the views expressed here are mine and not those of the Team. I have taken the opportunity to test-run my latest design of web page, and as the page is very long the contents table will remain in view so you can use it to jump easily from section to section, up and down as you wish. Hope you find it useful. |
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Design considerationsThe object is to provide a modern, comfortable and fully-compliant multi-function building to cater for the vast majority of current users of both Welney Parish Hall and Welney Pavilion, plus anticipated new users.The Council decided the most affordable solution would be a "modular building" - a factory-built, building-on-legs delivered by truck fully-fitted in 3m (10 ft) wide sections (bays), unloaded by crane and bolted together on prepared concrete pads. Apart from being much cheaper than a brick structure, a huge bonus is that should a larger building be needed in the future an additional bay (module) can be slotted in. Welney Playing Field is the chosen site for the reasons stated above, and the building will be in north-west corner of the Field where the current Pavilion is, so existing service connections can be used. A major snag is the position of the electricity/telephone pole and supporting guy-rope. To avoid the expense of moving that, the building will be angled at 45˚ compared with the current Pavilion. That will mean loss of a small part of the cricket pitch, but will provide better viewing of field events. The interior design inherited by the Team from the Parish Council was considered unsuitable for several reasons and has been replaced by one which in effect is a two-in-one building, allowing concurrent yet segregated use by, say, a meeting or party in the Hall and kitchen area, and outdoor sports players using the changing rooms and showers. The toilet area is common to both to keep costs down, but separated from the other areas to avoid any disruption to a meeting or party by sports people. A proposal that a small office should be included was rejected by both Council and Team. The office, like the whole building, could have been multi-functional. Provided with phone and broadband connections it could have been used by the Parish Clerk, present or future, the Pavilion Management Team, a Heritage group (for which funds are available), computer tuition group, and user organisations. Each user would have needed to supply their own PC or laptop but equipment such as a printer/copier/scanner could have been shared. Those who thought the building would not be big enough to allow this may be surprised when they see the floor-area comparison table and plans below. The drawings below will no doubt be changed anyway during the project. A cleaner's cupboard with low-level or floor mounted sink has already been agreed by the team and it's not too late to re-consider the idea of an office. |
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What's in a name?Like many big projects, there is a working title for use during the planning, financing and construction phases, a name which, if the Action Team are successful, will be replaced by a more apt one at a grand opening ceremony.The working title needs to be one which does not suggest a grandiose scheme (because it certainly isn't) that may incur adverse or costly planning conditions. The Team settled on the working title "replacement pavilion" as it is to be built at the Playing Field on the site of the current Pavilion and will provide much improved facilities for indoor and outdoor sports. Although the building will incorporate a substantial area for non-sports activities, use of terms such as 'Community Centre' or 'Village Hall' used previously by the Council have been dropped as they suggest a much larger scheme than in reality with subsequent financial penalties. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Comments, questions and queriesIn issue 101 of Welney News (Oct/Nov 2014), the editor commented "Welney is not having a new village hall. No, we are having a pavilion".He used a well established journalistic ploy to try to make, or score, a point, but in doing so he is in danger of misleading some of his readers who may not have read or remembered previous articles in the WN about the need for a title to be used during the grant application and planning phases. The editor also expressed concerns that the building may be "sports orientated" with other uses "tucked on" as secondary; he commented on the lack of information and plans available to the public; and queried whether funds raised in years past for a new hall should be spent on a pavilion. I hope this page will explain what the building is and who it is for, regardless of its title; allay the concerns; and answer the questions and queries. I'll deal with the comments and questions first. Details drawings and a table of comparative sizes follow. |
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Information and plansQ. How do you get to see plans and find information?A. Firstly, look here, at The Welney Website of course, any time on your computer, tablet or smart phone, just as folks did (and still can) to see the Parish Council's various plans over an 8-year period. Details of the Action team's plans were displayed at the Funday on the playing field on Saturday 6th September and Team members were on hand to discuss them. Anyone who missed that opportunity will have another chance in December when there is to be a dedicated presentation at a public meeting. See news reports top right. |
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Proportion of public area to outdoor sports facilitiesQ. Will it be a sports-orientated building with a public area "tucked on"?No, exactly the opposite. 75% of the floor area will be available to the general public. Only 25% will be restricted to outdoor-sports people only. |
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Funds raised in the pastQ. Money was raised years ago specifically for a new village hall. Can it be used for a Pavilion ?A. No, not on just "a pavilion" but "YES" on the proposed new Pavilion. Why? Because, despite the building's working title, it will be multi-function, and the area available to the general public will be three-quarters of the total - approx 156m2 or 1,684 sq.ft - which is exactly the same area as the current Parish Hall, albeit differently arranged and allocated. This is a genuine replacement for the Hall - see comparison table and plans below. Anyway, a large chunk (more than a third) of the original £15,000 has been spent already; £2,500 on planning applications for buildings which could not be financed and the rest on the current Hall because expenses exceed the revenue. With luck, the remaining "kitty" might be sufficient in 2015/16 to fund the entrance lobby to the public areas. (Outdoor-sports players will have their own entrance.) |
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ElevationsThese image have been "compressed" so you can see them quickly, but image quality is reduced. If you would like higher resolution ones please e-mail. Wheelchair access ramp may need re-orientating to fit site. The clock-tower and front veranda are options subject to availability of funds. |
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Floor PlanThese image have been "compressed" so you can see them quickly, but image quality is reduced. If you would like higher resolution ones please e-mail. |
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Floor areas compared with existing buildings (1)
All figures are approximate, rounded and for guidance only. Despite lack of stage and bar and small storage, the proposed new building still offers a reasonable replacement for the Parish Hall given current legislation, site restrictions and limited funds. |
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Floor areas compared with existing buildings (2)All images have been "compressed" so you can see them quickly, but image quality is reduced. If you would like higher resolution ones please e-mail. |
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CostsThe whole project is estimated to cost in the region of £180,000- £200,000 subject to choice of heating.The table below is an incomplete draft breakdown.
7. Negotiating removal of previous planning conditions. Preparing new application. |
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GrantsDetails as at 19th November 2014:
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Childrens Play Equipment FundsTable under construction - full details pending
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Local Fund Raising and expensesTable under construction - full details pending
Funday, Sept 2014The Fun Day and evening disco on Saturday 6th 2014 was organised by the Action Team's fund-raising sub-group and produced by Holly Trundle in just a few short weeks to raise funds from within the community for the New Pavilion. The net sum added to the coffers was in the region of £1,000.Above, the north-west corner of the Playing Field. Partly hidden befind the marquee is a 40-ft lorry trailer which provided the stage for the band during the evening disco. The proposed new Pavilion will be replace the current building on the left, but will be twice the depth and angled at 45˚ to give a better view of the field. The plans for the proposed new building were on display, and several of the Action Team were on hand to tell Parishioners about the project. This event was the first by the Action Team and next year's bigger-and-better show is already being planned, as are other events. A full photo report of the event will be published soon. |
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Acknowledgements:
Sources as noted.
Text, design and layout: Peter Cox © 2014 Welney Website If you wish to add, correct or disagree with anything, please e-mail and you comments will be added |
Welney Croft Cricket Club announced at their
Presentation Evening in October that their
annual charity match in 2015 will also be in aid of the New Pavilion, and a number of
players started the ball rolling with donations that evening. Update: due to uncertainty about the project and the future of the Pavilion and Field the Club brought forward another charity choice, Macmillan Cancer Support, to replace the above. |
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