Calne amenities given nod (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Calne amenities given nod

6:00am Friday 26th October 2012 in News

A request to improve three major facilities in Calne town centre was given the go-ahead by the Wiltshire cabinet on Tuesday.

Plans to install extra services at Beversbrook Sports Facility and refurbish the leisure centre and the library have been given the green light following a successful bid from the Calne campus working group.

At Beversbrook the group has asked for improved pedestrian and cycleway access, a larger kitchen area to teach people how to cook, a larger bar area and a new reception area. An additional all-weather pitch will reduce the over-use of the outdoor grass pitches.

The leisure centre will undergo a total refurbishment, looking at how the fabric of the building can be changed to make the building more energy efficient. The group would like to extend the size of the gym, possibly by moving that upstairs and moving the café downstairs, and also want to update the changing rooms.

The only way to extend the library is at the back where there is unused land, but this is currently tied up with legal issues, which will be dealt with by Calne Town Council. Plans for this include an improved IT suite and a number of multi-purpose activity rooms to provide space for local community activities.

The campus project is part of a Wiltshire-wide initiative to work with local people, businesses and organisations to improve services. Following the announcement, plans for the Calne campus will go into a detailed design stage and organisers will identify a suitable architect.

Malcolm Gull, chairman of the Calne Community Partnership, attended the meeting to present the plans alongside Wiltshire councillor Alan Hill and town clerk Linda Roberts.

Mr Gull said they would look for planning permission for the projects, if it is needed, by April to May next year and he hoped building would begin at Beversbrook and the leisure centre by autumn next year.