Knowle West is to get a new sports facility - to replace all the ones that have fallen into disrepair or are about to be built on, council chiefs have confirmed.
With open spaces and sports courts in the Filwood area of South Bristol being developed for new homes or left unusable in recent years, Bristol City Council is to divert £300,000 of money leftover from the Filwood Green housing development to pay for a new facility - although they have not decided where it should go yet.
Read more: Council gives itself permission to build 34 new homes in Knowle West despite local objections
The campaign to get a proper, new facility was the subject of years of campaigning by the community, and by local councillor Chris Jackson, who said it was ‘fantastic news’.
The project will create what is known as a ‘MUGA’ - a multi-use games area, which will be free for all to access, when it is eventually built.
The £300,000 will also help fund floodlights for Mendip Broadwalk FC, the Creswicke Road club who play in the Somerset County League. The MUGA still needs a location, and planning permission. “I am delighted that the council has found funding for a new Multi-Use Games Area in Filwood and new floodlights for the local football team, Mendip Broadwalk FC,” said Cllr Jackson. “This is fantastic news for Filwood, as easy to access, free children’s play equipment is so important for children and young people in wards like mine. As we all know, the Government gives little money to councils for play facilities, so it’s great that despite continued austerity, Knowle West can get some sorely-needed investment.
“I would like to thank the Filwood Broadway Working Group and Mendip Broadwalk FC for campaigning on this. I would also like to thank the Mayor, Cllr Tom Renhard, Cabinet Member for Homes, and Elaine Olphert, the Council’s Head of Housing Delivery, for their work to finally make this a reality after years of local campaigns.
“Getting the MUGA and the floodlights would have taken a lot longer if it wasn’t for their hard work, and I am sure they will work equally hard to ensure the MUGA is built as soon as possible. Tom has confirmed the final design and precise location of the MUGA will be made in consultation with the community group and the football clubs, so I look forward to working with them again on this in the near future,” he added.
This month, Cllr Renhard told Bristol City Council that he acknowledged there had been concerns about a loss of recreational space in Filwood because of the many schemes for housing being brought forward.
One of the best used sports areas in Filwood at the moment is a basketball court on part of the site of the old Knowle West swimming pool, which was closed in 2005 and demolished. Developers Live West have plans to build 29 homes on the area, which would close down the basketball area.
And last autumn, planning permission was given for 47 new homes on the green space and multi-use games area behind the Broad Plain House social club. Curo Housing Association won permission for their controversial scheme, despite opposition from scores of residents and from Sport England, upset at the loss of sports facilities.
One neighbour said the area had become “an El Dorado for ruthless developers” and criticised the scheme’s parking and traffic measures as “almost childishly stupid and dangerous”. Bristol City Council development control committee agreed with officers’ recommendation to grant consent by 3-2 votes, with two abstentions, which drew shouts of disapproval from members of the public at the City Hall meeting.
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