Thetownend.com

Not sure if this is the right place to put this, but if not mods please move it. Football in the Community put in a planning application to build a Football/Sports Hub at the County Ground extension/athletics track, like the ones they have in Calne (Beversbrook) and Chippenham (Stanley Park), albeit not as big. It was rejected due to pressure from some of the local residents who feared loss of green space, especially dog walkers apparently. The plan has been amended to try to take account of those objections and is back before the planning committee next Tuesday.

This is a really important application, especially for youth football in the area, although as many people will be aware FitC do so much more than that (e.g. Disability Football, Football Fans in Training, Deaf Football etc), it's a £2m project (largely funded from grants, they're not looking for money from the council, just permission to do it) which will benefit the whole town but at the moment is at risk of foundering on the back of the objections of a couple of dozen people. At a time when we're constantly being told our young people aren't active enough, rising threats of obesity etc, why is it that Swindon apparently can't match the ambition of Calne and Chippenham in providing sports facilities for our kids?

Can you please all take a few moments to write to your local councillors (if you live in Swindon) and stress your support for the project?

You can find your local councilor's email address from the SBC website:

https://www.swindon.gov.uk/councillors/search

and there's more info on the Hub plans on the FitC website at:

http://stfitc.co.uk/?page_id=6205
and
http://stfitc.co.uk/?p=6397

Thanks (and yes, I do have an interest as my lad trains with Football in the Community and so he would benefit from this, but so would hundreds of other kids, and adults, across the borough)

If I didn't have work commitments i'd be there on Tuesday to give them my full support, i've already registered my support on the planning application.
Having benefited from FITC through the Football Fans In Training programme, the work they do in the community is fantastic and this centre will be a huge benefit to the whole Town.
It must get the go ahead this time.

Fucking dog walkers seem to be the ones objecting. Isn’t it currently a football pitch anyway so their dogs shouldn’t be allowed anywhere near it as is actually dangerous for players as well as disgusting. Used to do my head in when playing on public pitches how inconsiderate dog walkers were and still are in terms of cleaning up after themselves.

Have they given the land village Green status yet.

That's usually what comes next.

Me too, exactly this.

Anyone that can make it down to the council offices at Tuesday 6pm to support should do so.  There will be lots of representation from the FFIT group (although I can't make it unfortunately) but we need to show as much as support as possible.  It needs to be made clear that this is important to the whole Swindon community and not allow a few local dog walkers and residents to stop this from happening.

Would we rather have a well lit, well run facility be used in that area benefitting schools, youngsters and old fat fuckers like me?  or a dark dinging area that is currently a hotspot for drug users, prostitution and general unsavoury behaviour.

Make it happen people.

Couple of things....

If you plan to write and support make sure you support on planning grounds and not merely on WIBN grounds as that will carry limited weight. I am sure that the supporting statement the FITC have prepared links it to planning policy so just use what they have said.

Make sure you put the application reference on your correspondence, and never underestimate the ability of Councils to bloody lose/misfile things...

Wish them every luck!

Yes, but it's probably more important that people write in and lobby their councillors ahead of Tuesday. A good turnout on Tuesday will be good for morale and may help sway the undecided, but writing in polite well-reasoned arguments to individual councillors ahead of time will probably carry more weight. And don't slag off the dog-walkers when you write in, you might find it frustrating but they are residents/voters as well and councillors will be minded to listen to them as respectfully as they listen to you.

Tbh, when you put it like that, I can see the arguments against :)

WRITE TO YOUR COUNCILLORS!

Have already logged my support on the council website.

I do like the way that a dog has objected..... Canine rights and all that!

Nice one Berniman. Worth writing to your ward councillors as well, if they all notice a little surge of support for this coming in from different areas, even if they're not on the planning committee directly, they do talk among themselves and it can help counteract the vociferous doggers :)

Planning permission granted  :pint:

https://www.facebook.com/stfitc/posts/1629040620514160

Passed unanimously this evening in a packed council chamber, loads of people couldn't get in, spilling out into the corridoors so many people came to support, thanks to everyone who wrote to their councillors/attended the vote. Will make  a huge difference to the future of all the kids, disabled people, girls groups, community groups, older people and middle-aged fat bastards on here who benefit from the programmes FitC run

great news

Boom!  Great news.  Proud of Jon and Shane at FITC.