Local people are being invited to drop in to a three-day exhibition and consultation event being staged at the Octagon Theatre in Yeovil on 16,17 and 18 July 2010.

The event is being organised by independent planning consultants Alliance Planning, to allow people to find out more about the need for sporting facilities for future generations, and to encourage residents to help shape a shortlist of potential locations for a proposed 'Sports Zone' within Yeovil.

Alliance Planning have shortlisted a series of potential site options, including a number of new site options, having conducted a comprehensive reappraisal of 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 opening times are:

- Fri 16 July 2pm to 6pm
- Sat 17 July 10am to 5pm
- Sun 18 July 10am to 4pm.

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.

"It's important that we do this groundwork at this stage to make sure there are no obvious 'show stoppers' or issues that would immediately make future work on that site difficult. "

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 halls 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.

Click for more information on the Yeovil Sports Zone.




Published:
06:42:45 14.07.2010 by John Bolton