March 19, 2021 | 30 comments
It’s now time to have your say on the Town Council’s development of a new sports facility, a 3G-ATP adjacent to Trowbridge Rugby Club at Doric Park.
Please see the link to the survey below and supporting documents which consist of a Questions and Answers Summary and a detailed Doric Park Project Plan
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Trowbridge Town Council
The Civic Centre
St. Stephen's Place
Trowbridge
BA14 8AH
Tel: 01225 765072
Fax: 01225 762439
Think this could be a huge addition to the town. Growing up in the town and playing most sports available to play this facility could not only boost participation within the town but also boost the level at which the town compete in a variety of different sports I think this is a very exciting project.
Doric is an amazing thing for Trowbridge and is good to help keep children off the streets and really good for all the local clubs to use.
This report consists of too many contradictions and illogical figures and raises more concerns than it answers making it more likely for me to vote against the proposal than for it,
for example, page 12 it states;
“The Rugby Club have not yet held their meeting to consider approval, delayed due to the pandemic.”
Yet in the summary it states
“It has been approved by the Trowbridge Rugby Club, which will work in partnership with the town council on access and landscaping.”
The summary states “has good cycle infrastructure links which are currently being improved.” That is blatantly untrue, if you live in Hilperton you may be able to cycle to it but unless you wish to ride along the busy and frankly dangerous A361 or Hilperton Dr which doesn’t even have a pavement, it is just not the case for most of Trowbridge residents.
The staffing costs do not add up and are unrealistic, if the pitch and facility are too be used for the significant times required PLUS the facilities are to be used for “Other – Room Hire” you cannot cover all this via 1.5 FTE or you cannot do it for 1.5FTE + casual for £27,008, also how would you cover holidays, sickness etc?
Your cleaning budget is c1 hour a day, (unless you expect the 1.5FTE to do this also, see above) for the size of facility this is unrealistic.
The Carpet replacement fund does not add up, I have been involved in funding for 3 3g / ATP pitch renovations in the last 4 years, you cannot do this (every 5-6 years page 14) for £144,200 – £173,040 as you propose, you need to at least double that if not more, 3g pitches also rip and need constant maintenance especially if the wrong studs are used, where is the costs to cover this, as £4300 a year for this and all other maintenance is again unrealistic?
You have also not included significant running costs inc contracts, renewals, reception, IT systems and services, POS, advertising, Web etc etc.
It is also very disappointing that this facility does not meet the requirements for a rugby pitch due to size from land limitations, so can only be used for training purposes, limiting its worth and potential income generated via match day receipts.
So, my summary is, great idea being shoe-horned into the wrong location with massaged figures hiding the true running costs to “show” it will just break even.
2 out of 10 for effort and accuracy.
Maybe just be honest about the real costs and people will accept these due to the significant benefits to health, both mental and physical, the improved image of the town these facilities bring and the increased revenue possibilities from the additional footfall into the town, what an innovative thought that would be!!
I agree anything is better than nothing,
However it’s not in Trowbridge it’s in hilperton which is not the preferred central accessible location for all. Meaning parents and kids need to be I. vehicles to travel, I would love to see a demographic of targeted users in relation to the sites v housing of those users,
Is there no where else that can be considered?
The preposed development is a fantastic opportunity for the youth of the town, and should be encouraged,
I have voted against the project as I am against this being funded by Trowbridge tax payers with no funding coming from Hilperton tax payers even though this is planned to be built in Hilperton!.
This is a hugh smack in the face when you consider the massive difference im council precept between Trowbridge and Hilperton!
Worth every penny. Something for my grandchildren to use and benefit from. Calne and Chippenham have these facilities. Trowbridge should be up there, too. Even if it means a few extra quid on the council tax.
Trowbridge desperately needs investment in sports facilities, not just football. Other towns in the county have far superior facilities.
Doric Park will be a fantastic asset for the Town and great for the kids and their development.
My wife and I both voted from the link on this phone, so this is 2 separate people voting on 07803847817
Absolutely essential to overcome the desperate shortage of facilities in Trowbridge.
Much needed to support the local community and encourage interest in sports.
This would be a great opportunity for all the youth sports in the town. It would give the town the best possibility in producing future talent such as lewis haldane, Nathan dyer and Jordan Turnball.
Would love a new facility !!
Trowbridge has been needing a sports facility like this for years. I was connected to a local football club for the last 7 years and we where always struggling to obtain winter training slots. Surrounding towns have had these facilities for what seems a long time. And with Devizes recently opening a similar venue,Trowbridge is far behind.
Trowbridge needs a facility like this and has been crying for one for years now! The lack of all weather football pitches in the local area is very sparse with the nearest being in Chippenham and Calne. This needs to happen!
No brainer.just need the towns council to now back a revival for the county towns football club
This is an absolute must for Trowbridge and the community!
A new sports facility is urgently needed to support grass roots football in the area as the current provision is inadequate. I totally support this and have lived in TROWBRIDGE since 2007
More investment in Trowbridge will see more people visiting the wonderful county town.
Sports facilities closer to where people live and work will cut down carbon emissions, promote healthier lifestyles which in turn will SAVE the tax payer millions in the long run. If people live happier, healthier lives, the economic outcomes are enormous.
And that’s just framing this project in cold economic terms!
People should have the opportunity to enjoy sport and exercise and should not be something available to only those fortunate enough to afford long trips around the county.
Get it done! This benefits everyone.
Yes
As someone who has been involved in youth football, I was always envious of the fantastic facilities in Melksham and Chippenham which contrasted hugely with what is available in Trowbridge. This will be a fantastic community asset to the town and the location is perfect 👍
If travelling from Trowbridge. There is always the option of biking down St Thomas Road and Middle Lane to avoid the busy main road. It’s only 2 miles people or here’s a radical thought, what about walking?
Yes it’s a great idea but none of you will think that when your council tax goes up even more because of the stupid borrowing of money that this council is doing let’s wait until we’ve got the money ourselves to actually afford to spend rather than borrow borrow borrow
What happened to the Trowbridge Sports Campus that was intended for the old library area of town. This could have offered even more sports facilities for Trowbridge. If the council do intend to develop new outdoor facilities then it should be looking to include an all weather running track as well as supporting football and rugby.
This type of sports facility is well overdue in Trowbridge so please let’s get in with building and providing it for everyone to use.
Trowbridge Town Council is the most indebted Town Council in England with a debt level that well exceeds any similar size authority in England. Current debt level is about £14 million. It has taken considerable pressure on TTC to obtain information on the financial justification for the project. This is based on forecasts that Trowbridge College will rent the facility during the day and that together with a suggested use from Bath Rugby Club will cover over half the annual costs. The remaining costs it is suggested will come from Local Football and Rugby clubs. Not all of these will be Trowbridge based and of course Bath Rugby Club are not. Bath Rugby Club already have a large training facility at Farleigh House owned by the Club which has an allweather facility
If, as is possible, the rental income does not cover the debt repayments and running costs of the then the Residents of Trowbridge will have to subsidise the Doric Park. This will occur at the very least during the initial start up of the project
I do not feel that this is a suitable project for the Town Council which does not have the experience and abilities for the financial control of multi million pound Commercial projects.
It think Trowbridge town council has more important things to spend money on, like new toilets in the town park.
The actual scheme is good if it wasn’t in Hilperton (as against Trowbridge) and it didn’t use grade 2 agricultural land (which is ‘protected’ from development).
Great idea, but not a great location. If it should be for kids, they should be able to get there on their own. In this case any child will need a lift every single time. The location is not Trowbridge, but Hilperton. I need to say I’m against it for the reason of the location that is not accessible to everyone (not everyone drives a car) and it would increase the pollution in the area as every child needs to be driven to the location.
Sorry but it’s no for me. This development provides facilities only really for football which is already well supported with facilities in the area and in schools. It’ll be used by a tiny minority of those who’ll pay for it. The financial case doesn’t add up and the kids that will play on this will still be paying for it through their Council Tax when they have kids of their own. Too expensive, wrong place, too narrow a range of facilities, ecologically poor use of land, ludicrous expectations of future income. What Trowbridge needs is a truly multi-sport facility within walking distance of the centre of Trowbridge not a vanity project championed by a small number of Council officials.
Supporting comments for the Trowbridge Town Council’s All-weather Pitch at Doric Park.
This is an exciting Project, for an All-weather Pitch for Football and Rugby at Doric Park, which adds to the expanding range of Facilities & Services which the Town Council is providing for its present and future residents. Trowbridge continues to expand and the demand for its Facilities and Services will continue to increase.
The Pitch is to be located on a 5 acre site adjacent to the Trowbridge Rugby Club. It will be comprised of a Football and Rugby compliant Third Generation Artificial Turf Pitch with floodlighting, changing rooms, a gym, a therapy room and car parking, plus some extra car parking for the Rugby Club.
Funding is being provided by Wiltshire Council £633,400 from S106 Developers’ Planning Gain, the Football Foundation £488,000 and a Loan of £2.2 million from the Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government repayable over 30 years with interest at 2.48%. By spreading the Loan Repayments and Interest Charges over 30 years the cost will be spread over the full life of the project. Thus those who use and benefit from these new facilities will be making contributions over the full life of the project.
Major Users, including Trowbridge Town FC; Trowbridge Wanderers FC; Staverton Rangers FC; St. Andrews FC; Trowbridge Tigers; Collaborative Schools; Walking Football; Veterans Football ; JP Counselling and Trowbridge College & University Centre are already committed to the Project.
A detailed Budget of Income, Running Costs, Loan Repayments and Interest Charges has been prepared. This has been favourably reviewed by the Funders and by an independent reviewer from Lloyds Bank. The Budget shows an annual better than break-even position and so the Project will not cause any increase to the Trowbridge Town Council element of the Council Tax.
Other Town Councils have already invested in All-Weather Pitches, including Calne and Chippenham. They confirm that the demand to use their pitches is consistently high and indeed they cannot fully satisfy all of their local demand.
I am impressed that Trowbridge Town Council continues to expand the range of Facilities and Services for its current and future residents in the knowledge that the Town continues to expand.
I fully support this exciting Project, the way it is to be funded, and I congratulate the Town Council and its staff for the professional way it has developed the Project.
I even hope to use the facility myself, in particular the Walking Football!!
Doug Ross, Resident. 30.03.2021