onionbagblog

Just when I was remarking to a neighbour that the Broad Lane Future story seems to have gone a little quiet, and whaddya know – the Gazette only goes and gives us an update on the proposed £1m plus redevelopment of the site.

Except there isn’t really much of an update as to what has happened since the previous public meeting held back in October. It seems that the Broad Lane Future group is now exploring the possibility of obtaining more land around the site:

A community group set up to provide more sporting facilities in Wivenhoe says it needs to buy more land. A pressure group called Broad Lane Future has been set up to get everyone in the town to comment on what facilities they want.

The sporting complex at Broad Lane is full and it is hoped pressure can be put on local authorities or wealthy benefactors to buy land next to Broad Lane or land behind the cricket club.

Note the new twist in using the plural benefactor(s). The initial meeting only mentioned a singular mystery Mr X who wanted to make a £1m plus investment. At the time it was stated that this money alone would be sufficient to see the scheme through.

Andrew Nightingale, chairman of Wivenhoe and District Sporting Facilities Trust, which is part of Broad Lane Future, said: “The thing we need more than anything is land.”

Simon Wilkinson, trustee, added: “We need Broad Fields. It would double the size of the site and be available for all the clubs to use.”

The very impressive plans that have been widely circulated only show scope for the re-development of the existing Broad Lane site. Potential access routes across the nearby fields were mooted, but nothing as substantial as a call for more land to incorporate into the project was made at the public meeting back in October.

Does this now signal that the scheme has even greater ambitions than were originally laid out? Or is it simply a call to try and get more cash from other donors? The Gazette adds:

He [Andrew Nightingale] said: “The mystery donor may have a few hundred thousand pounds, but costs could be over £1million and it is hard to obtain external funding at this time.”

We were told at the meeting back in October that a “significant proportion” of the estimated £1.4m needed was coming from Mr X. “A few hundred thousand pounds” now seems a figure a little closer to home.

As for Broad Lane itself – it certainly is in need of some love and care. And some money. Recent fixtures for the first team, and the many wonderful and active junior sides have been postponed because of a waterlogged pitch. There was also the concerns last week about the lack of security lighting.

A second meeting was planned before Christmas. Possibly the run of bad weather got in the way of another evening out at the William Loveless Hall?

Without wishing to blow the cover of Mr X and his mystery investment, it would be good to keep the enthusiasm and support displayed at the first meeting within the community. Now is the time for a proper update, and to try and explore further the possibilities (and funding options) for the future of sport up at Broad Lane.

The continued fighting talk of Broad Lane Future has to be seen as a very positive move within the town. I personally remain very supportive of the group and the objectives. As a keen swimmer, I also have personal interests at heart.

It would be good though to have a little more transparency and clarity about the exact nature of the scheme, and the short and long term funding arrangements.

www.broadlanefuture.com remains the pubic face of the group, and probably your first port of call to put forward your views and support.