PLANS to extend a Gaunless Valley community building so more activities can be held at the venue are moving forward.
But questions have been raised about whether it could include amenities to stop anti-social behaviour. Members of Cockfield Parish Council agreed to get costings for a planned extension, which will increase the size of the Pauline Charlton Sports Pavilion and provide a more adaptable and useable space.
The plans, which include installing folding doors between the existing function room and a proposed extension, have already been drawn up by a local architect. But the cost needs to be submitted to auditors before the end of the financial year.
The money from the sale of the village’s former community centre will fund the new extension.
Cllr Andrew Whelan, who moved to the village a year ago and was co-opted onto the council this month, asked whether the plans were set in stone. He raised the question of whether it was feasible to include a five-a-side pitch.
Cllr Whelan said: “If you are going to pay a substantial amount of money to build something, then should it be something that the people all want to use? How do we stop the kids throwing bottles?
“Why not give them something to do, like a five a side football pitch. It will be utterly pointless to build something the people won’t use.”
Cllr Neville Singleton said he would contact the architect, Keith McClure, who had drawn up the plans, to get some accurate figures.
