New Pavilion Project at King George V & Badminton Road Playing Fields

A new pavilion is proposed to be located at King George V Park and Badminton Road Playing Fields (to replace the existing aged facility). The facilities will include a building that provides changing rooms for sports (including cricket and football), community/meeting rooms, office space (potential for the Parish Clerk to relocate and other community based partners such as the Police) and a kitchen facility (possibility of hosting a regular drinks and snack provider for the park or a more informal nature on match days). Full details are available here.

The new pavilion will provide a modern and environmentally sensitive replacement for the existing facility. The current pavilion is not fit for purpose and has many structural issues that present a health and safety risk for users. The outside aesthetics do not promote the wider park, which is well managed and used by the community. If the current plans are not approved, then funding will still be required to replace the existing changing facilities, but the Parish Council is likely to lose out on significant funding support from the Football Foundation and wider community benefits.

To further improve the wider park, new car parking, landscaping, electric charging points, tree planting and storage facilities will be/have been provided. The new car parking area provides ample space for visitors to park their vehicles, reducing the amount of traffic on the surrounding roads and improving safety for pedestrians. The landscaping has been carefully planned to enhance the beauty of the park, creating attractive outdoor spaces for visitors to enjoy.

In 2021, the Parish Council thanked local people for actively engaging in the consultation about this proposed new community Pavilion, which clearly showed support for the Parish Council going ahead with the project.  Widespread support for the design was received and some very constructive ideas about how the facilities could be improved.

There have also been numerous informal consultations since this project was started over 6 years ago and public support has always been strong. The Project is supported by a sound business plan to ensure that the Pavilion will be sustainable and self-funding in the long term.

All the necessary planning permissions are now in place. In order to proceed with the project, and on the basis of receipt of an award from the Football Foundation of circa £250,000, we wish to consult with our residents to enquire if you are in FAVOUR or AGAINST the Parish Council going ahead with the project by seeking the approval of the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities to apply for a loan from the Public Works Loan Board of a maximum of £400,000 over the borrowing term of 20 years.

Please note that this WILL NOT mean a council tax precept increase for the purpose of the loan repayments.

As stated, the final amount of any award from the Football Foundation is still to be determined. Other costs will be met by:

• Parish Council reserves totalling £538,865
• Section 106 funding from South Gloucestershire Council of £112,143

The loan will enable construction to proceed later in the year and for lower construction costs to be ‘locked in’.

Please send this survey questionnaire to the Parish Council office at the address below by: Friday 1st September 2023.