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Agenda item

Melksham Community Health and Wellbeing Centre

Presentation from Laurie Bell - Associate Director, Communities and Communications and Councillor John Thomson, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Communities, Campuses, Area Boards and Broadband, Wiltshire Council.

 

To receive a recommendation from the Melksham Campus Project Board and to approve outline content of the Health and Wellbeing Centre.

 

Minutes:

Laurie Bell - Associate Director and Councillor John Thomson, Cabinet Member for Communities, Campuses, Area Boards and Broadband, Wiltshire Council gave a presentation that highlighted the outline content of the Health and Wellbeing Centre.

 

Points made included:

 

The new revised scheme

 

        25m pool - 6 Lanes.

 

        This pool would host regional competitions.

 

        13 x 7m learner pool.

 

        This would have depth of 0.6-0.9m for swimming classes/lessons  - high demand classes oversubscribed.

 

        Learner pools maximise number of lessons that could be provided.

 

        The income generated by lessons would help to ensure the centre was sustainable.

 

        A Fitness Studio which would accommodate a range of fitness classes and popular spinning classes.

 

        6 court sports hall.

 

        The sports hall would be multi-sport providing a variety of leisure activities.

 

        Leisure Review identified a need for squash courts in the Melksham area.

 

        The construction of two new courts would allow Melksham Squash club to play in Melksham; they currently play at Devizes leisure centre.

 

        Community space for clubs, groups and organisations.

 

        The final configuration of this space was still to be confirmed.

 

        Discussions with the town council regarding the possible re-provision of the Assembly Hall.

 

        The St Damiens GP practice would relocate to the new Health and Wellbeing Centre.

 

        Opportunity to bring services together in one place in the centre of Melksham.

 

 

        Improve the services provided and the offer or referrals and prevention.

 

        The scheme would include open plan office accommodation.

 

        This accommodation would be used by Wiltshire Council and partner organisations.

 

        The space would be comprised of hot desks and shared meeting space to maximise usage.

 

 

Melksham House site - master plan

 

        Wiltshire Council had commissioned a master plan of entire site.

 

        Focus on land usage to maximise the provision of services and facilities for the local community.

 

        Phase 1 of the project was the new health and wellbeing centre and outdoor clubs.

 

        Phase 2 would focus on Melksham House and the existing Town Hall (subject to discussions with the town council)

 

 

Outdoor Sports Clubs

 

The following clubs will be allocated space and appropriate facilities on the site, based on discussion with the council:

 

·       Tennis.

 

·       Cricket.

 

·       Outdoor Bowls.

 

 

Questions and points raised from the floor included:

 

Would the Cricket Club have a new pavilion?

a.Wiltshire Council would be working with the Cricket Club and carrying out a feasibility study to what was required. The Cricket Clubs aspirations were for this to be at the Melksham House site so this was what was being looked at.

 

When was the feasibility study of Christie Miller being carried out?

a.Wiltshire Council officers have already been out to look at this. Outcomes would be expected from this in the next couple of weeks. .

 

 

Would the Melksham Cemetery be expanded?

a.Yes, and this would form part of the masterplan on the Melksham House site.

 

What was the time frame for the Skate Park?

a.Designs would be looked at as soon as possible.

 

Would indoor Netball courts be marked out in the sports hall?

a.Yes they would be.

 

Would the building’s shape be different due to the revisions?

     a.Yes, the footprint is now slightly different. The revised designs would be made available at a future Area Board meeting.

 

Would the new design be fully disabled compliant?

a.Yes, most definitely.

 

    Could the Indoor and Outdoor Bowls Clubs work together to form a viable option for inclusion on the Campus site?

     a.This could be looked at as an option.

 

Would the Blue Pool remain open whilst the new pool was being built?

     a.Yes it would remain open.

 

Would there be adequate car parking on the site?

a.Wiltshire Council would be looking to provide good walking routes to the site, and would provide as much parking as was possible.

 

Would the revised plans offer a Heath Suite?

a.No, this was too high maintenance to be viable.

 

Would public transport links be provided?

a.This could not be guaranteed. Perhaps some sustainable local transport, the Area Board could perhaps look at this.

 

 

Decision

 

That the Melksham Area Board accepts the recommendations of the Melksham Campus Project Board:

·       A new facility with a revised accommodation schedule that reflects community need and is sustainable for the future.

(Note: that the “New accommodation schedule” includes a Fitness Suite and Skate Park).

 

·       A facility that is within the budget allocated.

 

 

·       The options to reduce and/or remove space based on need and sustainability.

 

Note:

That Cllrs Seed, Hubbard, While, Chivers and Aves voted for the motion, Cllr David Pollitt abstained from the vote.

 

 

The Chairman thanked Laurie Bell and Cllr Thomson for their presentation.

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