Agenda item

Lucy Murray-Brown - Head of Campus Operational Delivery Models, Wiltshire Council and Rich Pearce - Project Manager, Wiltshire Council  will be in attendance to provide a presentation on the consultation feedback received and the next steps in the process.

Lucy Murray-Brown - Head of Campus Operational Delivery Models, Wiltshire Council and Rich Pearce - Project Manager, Wiltshire Council gave a slide presentation on the consultation feedback received and the next steps in the Campus process.

Following 18 months of developing the campus designs and working closely with local residents and community groups, the Shadow Community Operations Board (COB) unveiled the detailed campus plans at a series of pre-planning consultation roadshows last month.

The plans were displayed around the community area with sessions held at

Melksham House, the Assembly Hall, Christie Miller Leisure Centre, Melksham Oak School and using the mobile library. Residents were invited to attend to have their say on the proposals. Over 300 people across the community area attended the consultation sessions and provided feedback on the scheme.

Points made included:

Common feedback themes.

·       “Exciting Project for Melksham House wishing it good luck”

·       “ Think it will be good for the community and boost Melksham economy”

·       “ The floor area of the sports hall is a cause for concern, being smaller than the existing CMSC hall and unable to support some activities”

·       “ Looks good, but why no snooker or skittles?”

·       “ Why is there Indoor and Outdoor Bowls”

·       “ Parking charge concerns”

·       “ Additional Pilates / Dance studio is required with sprung floor”

·       “ So glad it was decided to build in the centre of town and not at the school”

·       “ Pleased to see the parkland approach is retained”

·       “ Why no bar?”

·       “ How will it be managed? Will we be able to afford to use it?”

Melksham market place improvements.

·       Separate highways scheme being developed by a working group of Melksham Town Council

·       New market area outside Town Hall

·       New roundabout access for Campus

·       Segregated taxi / disabled parking area

·       Speed reduction ramps and raised pedestrian crossings

·       Works to be co-ordinated with campus construction programme

Next Steps

Subject to Area Board approval to submit planning application:

-        Submission of planning application – December 2013.

-        Detailed design, procure contractor – spring / summer 2014.

-        Commence build programme - summer 2014.

Questions raised included:

·       When will the transport plan be carried out?

a.The transport plan would form part of the planning application.

Who is the architect commissioned for the Melksham Market Place project?

a.Liasion with the architects should be done through the local working group, led by the town council.

Why would the Taekwondo club have a smaller space in the campus than it currently has at Christie Miller?

a.The spec for taekwondo was put together with guidance from Sport England, it meets the needs of the user base.

Crown House access issues – potential users of the campus having to cross two lanes of traffic.

a.The design team would be looking at this issue.

Would an extension of the Melksham cemetery encroach into the Cricket club playing area?

a.A small extension is planned for the future, there is no intention to impact on the playing area for cricket.

Will there be tennis provision?

a.Yes.

Points made included:

The parking provision planned for campus users does not look adequate.

Well done to Wiltshire Council for the planned campus disabled facilities.

The Area Board thanked the SCOB for its hard work in bringing the different strands of the biggest capitol project ever undertaken by Wiltshire Council together.

Decision

That the Melksham Area Board thanks the SCOB, Architects and the Transformation team for the work undertaken to get the campus project to its current state.

Takes note of the consultation responses and thanks all those who took part in the process.

Endorses and supports the plans for the campus and recommends their submission for planning.