Trowbridge Town Council has been investing in the town for many years, including the Civic Centre, Museum and a range of sports and recreation facilities. Investing through borrowing allows the Town Council to spread the cost of the investment over the full life of the new facilities, rather than increasing Council Tax. Additionally, interest rates are low and fixed.
For a number of years we have been discussing the potential for the provision of a 3G Artificial Turf Pitch for the town and we are now ready to progress this project.
We have obtained over £600,000 in funding from housing developments around the town specifically for investment in new sports pitches and over £480,000 from the Football Foundation, although the proposal will also be available for rugby use.
We will need to borrow £2.2million to complete the project, but all of the repayments (approx. £100,000 per annum including interest) will be funded from the fees charged for use of the facility.
We have already received commitments from local football and rugby clubs as well as other organisations seeking to use the facility during the day time. We will also be able to hire the facility to other clubs, and there will be changing rooms and parking.
Before the Town Council decides whether to give the green light to the project, which we hope will be completed during 2021, we are seeking the views of the residents and users.
View the Business Plan here and the Financial Summary here.
UPDATE: the results of the survey have now been returned – please click this link to view them.
As a member of Trowbridge Rugby Club I would like to point out that the membership of TRFC have not yet voted on the proposals and therefore the it is wrong to say that the project has received any commitment from the club.
I think this is a great idea. We need to invest in the future of our town for future generations and to invest in positive activities that can bring us all together as a community .
Good morning
I hope this finds you well – thank you for your positive comments, and for your interest in our website.
Regards
Mike
it is a shame that its ruby and football not football and hockey
I’m sure that there are other things we could invest 2.2m on!!The town centre needs a decent swimming pool with flume or a bowling alley…there is already lots of pitches in trowbridge and an artificial pitch at JOG isnt there?…cant that be used instead?
The Rugby Club haven’t voted on this project yet so it’s unfair to say they have any commitment towards it and cannot see any benefit for the rugby club. According to the plans there are only 3 people employed 1 f/time and 2 p/time to cover 7am to 10.30pm 7 days a week that’s 108.5 hours a week but only staffing 80 how is that going to work, the gym is going to be open during those hours who’s staffing it? Don’t understand how it can be for the community to use when it’s basically for certain clubs and organisations, the only part available is the gym and you will have to pay to use. Also if you want to hire it out and that’s if you’re allowed you will have to pay for that so really you could end up paying not only the for it to be built but to use it as well. The
Council tax payers of this community will be paying for something that probably won’t be around in 30 years time, something our children will be paying for in their adulthood regardless of whether they use it or not. Think it’s a
huge undertaking for the tax payers of both Trowbridge and Hilperton for the minority that will use it.
Hello
Thank you for your comment and also your interest in our website. In response to your comment, Trowbridge Town Council Town Clerk & Chief Executive Lance Allan replies . . .
Tracy,
You are correct that the Rugby Club has not voted yet on the overall project but officers of Trowbridge Rugby Club have made a commitment that they would use the facility for a certain number of hours per week.
The benefit to the Rugby Club is that they get significantly increased parking, access to additional changing rooms, access to a quality gym, opportunities for increased sales of refreshments and access to an all-weather pitch to RFU standards for training and matches.
The site will not necessarily operate from 7am to 22:30 every day, these are the available operating hours, but will depend upon bookings.
Our day time partner will have their own access arrangements which will not require a member of our own paid staff to be in attendance during their occupation.
The requirement for staff to be on site will therefore be the core hours 4pm-10pm each day and day time at weekends, plus some additional times for a few weeks each year.
It is for community use because the majority of the clubs that have committed to use it are community clubs and there will also be other sessions which are available for general hire.
The community is underwriting the development, with contributions from new housing developments (£630,000) and the Football Foundation (£488,000) with the user groups we have negotiated fees that will cover the remaining loan finance, so in effect the community is not having to pay anything. In fact our business plan shows that it will contribute to the council finances in the long term, reducing the Council Tax.
Thank you for your comments, if you have any further questions please let me know.