Decision Maker: Director of Adults, Health and Well-Being
Decision status: Recommendations Approved
Is Key decision?: No
Is subject to call in?: No
To seek approval to use £121,323.00 of
section 106 monies ring fenced to the Joint Playing Fields for
improvements to the public open space. £69,868 is to be taken
from the Station Road development in Blaxton (planning reference
12/01327/EXTM), £51,455 is to be taken from the Old Bawtry
Road development (planning reference 13/01520/OUTM). The proposal
is to make a grant of £121,323.00 to Blaxton Parish Council
under a formal funding agreement.
Background
1. The Blaxton and Finningley playing field is situated in the
South of Doncaster, covering an area of 9 acres between the
villages of Blaxton and Finningley.
In September 2017 the new pavilion, supported by a Section 106
contribution from Doncaster Council, was completed and formally
opened on Sunday October 22nd 2017. Since its opening the building
has allowed for more extensive use of the playing fields and tennis
courts.
The Public open space now comprises of:
- Junior Soccer organised by Finningley Harriers FC, comprising
teams in the Under 6; Under 7; Under 8; Under 9; Under 10; Under 13
and Under 15 age groups.
- Adult Soccer organised by Finningley Athletic FC, 1 team at
present.
- Cricket organised by Doncaster Town Cricket Club with their
Juniors (Matting Wicket), 3rd and 4th Teams based at Finningley and
occasional Ladies Team matches at Finningley.
- The Tennis Courts are in use throughout the summer by families.
There was organised tennis coaching throughout the summer of 2018,
which has resulted in looking at forming a Tennis Club. The Playing
Field Association has appointed a tennis representative to its
membership. They are also exploring winter opening.
In order to continue to offer good facilities to present and future
users, the Playing Field Association (PFA) believes that it is
necessary to improve the playing areas and supporting facilities.
To achieve this, a number of things need to be done:
PLAYING AREAS. – THE JOINT PLAYING FIELDS
The number of Soccer teams using the field, all with different
pitch size requirements, means that the PFA struggles to
accommodate all age groups. Around the perimeter there are unused
areas currently covered with bramble and bushes that, if recovered
and made good, will allow for better use of the field to plan
pitches. In addition, the adult pitch is currently the minimum
permissible size for adult league games. A larger area would allow
the pitch to be a more suitable size. The PFA are aware that the
bramble and bushes do provide a natural habitat for wildlife and
would not want to remove it all. They have taken advice from
Doncaster Council Tree and Ecology Team and agreed 3 to 5 meters
can sensibly be added to the playing areas.
The PFA also want to make the area between the pavilion and the
extension of Chapel Lane more usable by levelling it and removing
two or possibly all three of the Containers that currently take up
space. A fenced off area (Compound) next to the pavilion to provide
safe storage of goal posts and larger equipment will reduce the
space currently taken up by containers and make this a usable area
for training and possibly a small pitch.
£121,323.00 is ring-fenced to the site for a number of
improvements:
FIELD ENLARGEMENT (Approximate costs £33,565 excluding
VAT)
Enlargement of the field by removal of banks, bramble and self-set
trees to allow more space for pitch areas; some fencing and pathway
improvement; creation of a new compound to release containers and
removal of 2 containers; creation of 1 metre inset from boundary
wall on Lower Pasture to facilitate easier mowing and a hard-base
path around the tennis courts.
See attached Officer Decision Record for full details.
1. To approve the allocation of
£121,323.00 of Section 106 monies for joint playing fields
improvement projects.
2. To include the scheme in the Council’s Capital
Programme
3. To approve scheme implementation.
Option one - Contribute the full amount of
available S106 monies to delivering the scheme.
Option Two - Do not contribute any S106 monies to the project and
risk the PFA not being able to deliver the improvements.
Recommended Option
Option One to deliver the scheme in full, the improvements to the
playing fields will last for many decades and will optimise the
sports and recreational activities that can be delivered from that
site.
BOX
Publication date: 10/12/2020
Date of decision: 17/11/2020
Accompanying Documents: