Agenda item

Although Councillors Gibson and Steel did not have a pecuniary interest, they excused themselves from voting on this item, as they are members of the Planning Committee which may later consider a planning application for developments at Victoria Embankment and Meadow Recreation Ground, including the new cricket pavilion. Councillor Edwards, who is also a member of the Planning Committee, chose to speak and vote on the item at this meeting, and waived his right to participate in discussion at any subsequent Planning Committee involving the cricket pavilion.

Eddie Curry, Head of Parks and Open Spaces, presented the report of the Corporate Director of Community Services and the Director of Sports Culture and Parks, highlighting the following points:

(a)  while the Victoria Embankment and Meadows Recreation Ground has benefited from improvements in recent years, a more structured approach to improvement is required to provide a strategic plan for the site. The City Council’s vision for the site includes restoring historic landscape and features to their former glory, providing a central hub with café, community facility, cycle hire and improved sports changing facilities, a new artificial turf ‘3G’ football pitch, improved grass pitches and improved recreational and event facilities;

(b)  there has been extensive consultation on proposals to develop the site, and the main funding opportunity to realise the vision is through the Heritage Lottery Fund’s (HLF) Parks for People programme, which previously supported the restoration of the Forest Recreation Ground and Highfields Park. However, given that England Cricket Board (ECB) funding is available now, the cricket pavilion project will proceed as an advance works project. Consultation on the cricket pavilion element of the project will run until 20 February 2015;

(c)  as well as the HLF and ECB funding, financial support is also available from the Football Foundation to improve sporting facilities on the site, the Sustainable Transport Fund, Section 106 contributions, and a range of smaller funding streams;

(d)  the outcome of the HLF Parks for People Stage 1 application would be known by June 2015 and, if successful, a further Stage 2 application will be submitted by March 2016. If funding timescales are met, it is planned to have onsite works to commence in Autumn 2016 with completion by Summer 2017.

Discussion focused on the non- cricket pavilion element of the overall programme, in view of the extensive discussion on the pavilion at the Committee’s November 2014 meeting (minute 31 dated 12 November 2014 refers):

(e)  there will be primary lighting for safe cycling and walking along the riverside, but issues of secondary lighting needed further exploring, in view of the possible impact on wildlife. A community representative recommended subtle lighting to minimise environmental impact on the riverside area;

(f)  there will be several jobs created through the catering concession, while the building work will also provide potential job opportunities for local people;

(g)  several community representatives spoke in favour of retaining open general recreation areas, and not allocating all available space to cricket and football activities;

(h)  Mr Curry acknowledged that the siting of the 3G artificial turf pitch was problematic in terms of minimising the impact of the floodlights on neighbouring properties and on the site as a whole. If HLF Stage 1 funding was successful, the City Council was happy to revisit details of the pitch lighting and elevation to address the issue;

(i)  a community representative suggested that a boules/petanque area would improve the offer of the site, and would be popular with senior citizens;

(j)  Mr Curry acknowledged the fouling issues with Canada geese along the Embankment, and stated there that there were no straightforward solutions to the issue. Parks and Open Spaces colleagues were liaising with Wildlife colleagues, as well as those responsible for street cleansing operatives. 

RESOLVED to:

(1)  note the proposals for the park and support the Heritage Lottery Fund and Football Foundation funding bids;

(2)  endorse the contribution of £223,693.30 Section 106 funding towards the project’s development and match funding a Heritage lottery Fund bid.