A HUGE £1-million project to bring desperately needed new sports facilities to Tavistock was given the green light by councillors on Tuesday.
The ambitious phased scheme would provide a half-size all-weather pitch at Tavistock College. There would also be new changing facilities at Tavistock Football Club and at Crowndale Recreational Association?s pitches, four further pitches, car parking and public toilets.
A J-bend all-weather athletics track and land for further future pitches are also included in the scheme.
The total cost of the project is £1,061,000 ? a bid for £840,000 is to be put to the Football Association for 78% of it. The athletics track would be subject to a separate bid to the Sports Lottery fund.
David Inman, West Devon Borough Council?s deputy chief executive, this week asked the economic and leisure committee to approve spending £20,000-worth of ?risk money? to get the scheme off the ground.
He said any bid to the FA had to include planning permission, building regulation consent and three quotations, requiring ?considerable detailed work by a consultancy team?.
Mr Inman said the money would have to be spent without any guarantee that the bid would be successful.
He said: ?We are told by FA officers that what Tavistock has as a plus is a clear working relationship with the college and junior and senior football clubs.
?That is an enormous plus because it is clearly a community scheme and we have to try and protect that at all costs ? it?s a strong card in our suit.?
He said the CRA had already promised to put forward £2,000 ?at risk? ? he anticipated the county council would be prepared to put forward £10,000.
Mr Inman said: ?Somehow or other we have to drag this forward. This has gone on forever and perhaps it?s the borough that has to be bold.?
He added it was crucial that all clubs were ?on board? before the scheme could go forward and asked the chairman and vice-chair of the committee to meet Tavistock Football Club to verify its position on the project.
Cllr Dick Eberlie urged the committee to agree the proposal.
He said: ?I don?t think we have much choice. We have to do it if we are to succeed in attracting this very large sum ? it?s an act of faith, let?s take it and commit ourselves to this long-term vision.?
Cllr Margaret Garton said: ?We can?t afford not to risk this money. A local authority, particularly this one, is the only true leader and if we don?t do it, nobody else will ? we are talking about giving everyone an outlet for an amazing number of facilities.?
Committee chairman Cllr Nick Morgan said the lack of sporting facilities in the borough was ?unbelievable? and he hoped the new project would give youngsters and senior sportsmen the chance to capitalise on their talent.
Mike Jefferies, treasurer of the CRA, said: ?This is splendid news. We are delighted the council are supporting what we believe is the only realistic way to make a major improvement to the sports facilities in the area.
?Clearly, although money has to be put up front, we are hopeful we stand a very good chance of getting the bid through.?
John Simes, principal of Tavistock College, said: ?I?m delighted, particularly for the young people and members of the community who have struggled for so long and so hard to get some agreement on this.?
And he paid tribute to the hard work of councillors and officers in moving the project forward.
John Follett, vice-chairman of Tavistock Jets FC, said: ?As long as things are moving forward constructively to the benefit of youth sporting facilities in Tavistock, we are very supportive of this move.?