THE project to create a new £500,000 sports and community centre in a West Devon village took a step forward last week when the borough?s planners gave the scheme the thumbs up. The planning committee heard the new centre would be built in the recreation field at Lamerton. It would provide a main hall, meeting rooms, kitchen, store, toilets and changing rooms, plus car parking and some landscaping. Planning officer Ed Persse told members there had been some objections ? there were concerns over increased traffic movements, parking and access, its close proximity to the Blacksmith?s Arms pub and the fact that the building would take away part of the existing football pitch. Mr Persse said as far as the pitches were concerned, the existing ones did not conform to current standards and the new centre would include one adult and one junior pitch, which would meet modern standards. He said: ?Sport England has no objections and they assess proposals in the light of policies.? Mr Persse said objections to parking and highway access were not considered sustainable as the highways authority had no objections ? in addition, the centre would provide 45 car parking spaces. The potential loss of amenity to the owners of the Blacksmith?s Arms could be negated by the imposition of conditions, including landscaping of the sports centre boundary. The planning committee unanimously agreed to grant consent to the project, with conditions including details of layout and equipment for a play area, a landscaping scheme, and an opening hours restriction of between 8am and 11.30pm. Valerie Hill, chairman of Lamerton Parish Hall Committee which submitted the application, said she was delighted it had been given the green light: ?It?s a step forward in the right direction towards our goal.? Mrs Hill said the committee was constantly organising fundraising events towards the project, in addition to applying for grants from a number of funding organisations. The next event will be a wine and wisdom evening in the parish hall on Wednesday November 2 at 8pm. Teams, with a maximum number of five players are welcome to attend the event, which is being match funded by Barclays Bank. The results of the ?brain teasing challenge? will also be announced during the evening. The present parish hall in Lamerton was built in 1933 outside the centre of the village and is nearing the end of its useful life. The new centre will be closer to the heart of Lamerton and should provide a range of sporting and social opportunities for residents.
