Pirbright Parish Council

On Friday 3rd March, the Your Fund Surrey team, alongside County Councillor Keith Witham, visited Pirbright Community Amateur Sports Pavilion for a progress update on the construction of the new facility. The project, which has been arranged by the Lord Pirbright's Hall and Recreation Ground Charity, has received £300,000 to go towards this brand-new and purpose built pavilion. It is expected that the building will be completed by mid-May.  If you have a community-led project that you wish to discuss with the Your Fund Surrey Team, why not come along to one of our twice monthly Q&A sessions? Please visit https://yourfundsurreyproposals.commonplace.is/newsto find out when the next sessions are being held and how to book.

Like to ask a question to the project team? Email yourfund@surreycc.gov.uk.

 

Figure 1: Image of the Consented Design for the Community Sports Pavilion

Delivery

The site for the pavilion has been identified and is in the ownership of Pirbright Parish Council, one of the supporting stakeholder organisations, who also provide the managing Trustees for Lord Pirbright’s Hall Charity.

Planning permission has been granted by Guildford Borough Council and there are no remaining pre-commencement conditions.

The relevant management team is in place and the project is ready to commence as soon as funding is achieved. A start date during 2021 is being targeted, in order to support the continued development of youth coaching and sports activity.

Figure 2: Consented Site Layout (in existing pavilion location)

 

Figure 3: Consented Floor Plan

Aims

The aim of the Pirbright Community Amateur Sports Pavilion is to enable, focus and support wider participation in organised sports and recreation among the local community. The proposal also aims to promote greater social cohesion, increase the reach of local amateur sport, and encourage more active and healthy lifestyles.

Through the provision of a modern, environmentally sustainable facility that is accessible to all, the project will provide a visible and lasting hub for community-based sporting activities.

Further specific objectives are to:

• increase youth participation to encourage lifelong interest in sporting activity, improving skills, self-confidence, health, and team based activities;
• promote greater integration within the community, strengthening ties between local mainstream and specialist schools, existing sports organisations and the families and staff of the Pirbright Army Training Camp (ATC) as part of the Armed Forces Covenant which Pirbright Parish Council and Surrey County Council have signed;
• the development of ladies’ participation in cricket and football;
• develop greater inclusion in a range of sports and fitness activity for all abilities.

Existing Situation

Without the new pavilion building and the facilities, it provides the further development and future of organised amateur sports within the village is under long term threat. As with many clubs and sports, their future depends on the development of new players and supporters. The development of youth teams, support networks and coaching are critical to the future of organised team sport.

The present cricket pavilion was built in the 1950’s and is in a state of poor repair and is of insufficient size to be adapted to provide the required facilities. It is not accessible to all abilities and does not have kitchen, changing, welfare or toilet facilities that meet current health and safety standards for participants, officials, or members of the public.

Surrey’s Community Vision 2030

The project will meet the following aims of the Surrey Community Vision 2030:

Tackling inequality – the provision of enhanced local organised sports and coaching activities available to all ages, abilities and genders within the community is an essential part of tackling inequality in opportunities to engage in sports and recreation. The proposal draws on adults and children from the local community, local schools and the Pirbright ATC and will help bring each sector of the community together.

Supporting independence - enabling people to live healthier lives for longer by boosting their independence 

Embracing Surrey’s diversity – the proposal supports diversity in organised sport and recreation and is supported by each of the affiliated clubs’ equality and diversity policies. The facilities provided by the pavilion will provide for gender equality in the welfare facilities available, supporting the development of male, female and mixed teams of all abilities and backgrounds. Participation in youth and adult sport already includes a range of genders and ability levels but the village lacks dedicated changing and welfare facilities to support its further development, an issue that is at the heart of the proposal.

Supporting the local economy – the proposal represents a significant capital investment in the area and each of the tenders so far received are from Surrey based businesses. This, together with the additional spend locally will directly support local sports-based businesses and community activities, enabling our local economy to grow in a sustainable manner. 

Partnership – the proposal is based on partnership working, bringing together a range of stakeholder groups and drawing on voluntary contributions, skills and expertise from different organisational, community and individual partners in the charitable, public, private, military and community sectors. 

Environmental Sustainability – the proposal will be supported by an Environmental Sustainability Assessment. One of the key objectives of the project is to enhance the environment and the sustainability of sport and recreation within the area. This has a number of components that help tackle climate change and enhance biodiversity:

• Reducing vehicle movements by providing improved local facilities within walking distance of schools and the community;
• Providing a modern, energy efficient building which minimises energy and water consumption; 
• Using low carbon, renewable energy;
• Enhancing biodiversity - by providing a management plan for the village green which forms part of the Pirbright Common, Pirbright Green and Dawney Hill SNCI and for the provision of new bat and bird nesting boxes. 

Community Support

The proposals have been discussed at the Annual Parish Meeting in 2019 and 2018 and a formal presentation of the proposals has been made during this time by each of the stakeholder clubs to the community. A number of community and user surveys have been undertaken and can be appended with the grant application. These include community surveys and those targeted at specific user groups. These have demonstrated substantial community support locally and wider support from related organisations, such as Surrey Cricket and the Surrey Football Association as well as local business.

This support is reflected in the return of youth and adult football to the village green and the successful development of youth cricket in 2020 which is now over-subscribed and dependent on the further improvements proposed as part of the pavilion project. This has included the development of a female cricket team and youth teams over a number of age groups.

Following significant investment by the Parish Council the sports pitches are used by the sports clubs, the ATC Pirbright for annual fixtures and when their facilities are unavailable and by Knowle Hill school on a regular basis as well as a variety of training, fitness coaching and other activities which would all benefit from having undercover changing and welfare facilities.

Governance

LPH Charity has well established and appropriate governance procedures in place consistent with its status and founding objectives to promote involvement in amateur sports and recreation and to make available affordable space for parish activities for clubs and societies and for local functions.

The management and administration of the project and ultimately the running of the facility would be undertaken by a sub-committee of the Nominated Trustees of LPH Charity with representatives from the stakeholder groups, including Pirbright Cricket Club and Football Club.

Conclusion

Pirbright Community Amateur Sports Pavilion is a ground up, community initiative led by the existing cricket and football clubs and Lord Pirbright’s Hall and Recreation Ground Charity, with support from Pirbright Parish Council. The proposed pavilion has the potential to change lives, enhance community cohesion and increase long term participation in amateur sport and recreation at a grass roots level.

It is specifically aimed at increasing diversity and inclusion in active sport and fitness to all within the community, irrespective of age, gender, ability, or ethnic background. This is about providing a focus for and promoting healthy and active lifestyles throughout our community. It will form the centrepiece of outdoor sports and recreation in Pirbright Parish. 

The proposal has the support of the community, of local mainstream and special schools and by the Army at the ATC Pirbright as part of the Armed Forces Covenant. 

The proposals are fully costed and deliverable. Planning permission has already been granted by Guildford Borough Council and subject to funding, construction can be undertaken in 2021. Funding is now the key issue to be able to deliver the pavilion and the activity, training and events it would support. The proposals would deliver on several of the aims of the Community Vision for Surrey 2030 and we believe, meets the requirements of the Community Fund.