Following a number of public consultations, a design has been created for a new Pavilion to replace the existing building at the Melton Road Recreation Ground. The current building is no longer fit for purpose and is over 70 years old. The new building will be in the same location as the current Pavilion and have the same footprint.
The new design includes a public toilet (which will be open at set hours, not just when the Pavilion is in use), ability for a pop-up café to operate, shelter for spectators, a flexible community space and storage. All these facilities were supported by responses to the consultation process. The construction will be brick, weatherboarding – using the low maintenance, fibre cement cladding HardiePlank – and a pantile roof.
This revised internal layout sketch was brought to Full Council on 16th December and is the design being considered.
3D models of the Pavilion with HardiePlank weatherboarding are below:
Melton Parish Council invited residents to submit any comments they had on these proposals. The consultation finished on Friday 22nd January 2021. Overall the feedback was very positive.
Summary of main areas of concern and comment:
Footprint – the new building will be no bigger than the current footprint
Parish Room – It is not a new Parish room or village hall. It is emphatically not designed for meetings but for informal events linked to and used as an adjunct to outside space.
Loss of facilities – The only ‘facility’ that will be lost is changing rooms. However the current ones are not used and nor are they needed. The new Pavilion will bring additional facilities – public WC that is fully accessible, flexible community space, better storage, better shelter for users of the park and playing fields and ability for a pop-up café.
Loss of green space – the path will be slightly widened and the car park squared off which will result in a very small loss of green space.
Risk of vandalism – brick and HardiePlank are as vandal resistant as possible but no building is entirely resistant. Roller shutters and CCTV will be installed and we will work with the police to design out crime. The externally accessible toilet will be open at set times.
Environmental considerations – solar panels will hopefully be installed (see designs) and water reuse is being considered.
Full Council met on Wednesday 15th February to discuss the next steps. It was agreed to go forward with this design using anthracite grey hardieplank, red brick with grey mortar and red roof tiles. The windows and doors will be dark grey. A planning application was submitted to East Suffolk Council and it is hoped work will commence summer 2021.
