New Sports Centre Planned for Wokingham Residents

A major new sports centre is planned for the south of Wokingham and Wokingham Without parish council says it wants it to work for locals.

The pick-your-own strawberry farm on Heathlands Road was bought by the borough council in 2014 and looks set to become a hub for young footballers.

Football is the most popular sport in Wokingham, but the borough says thereis a shortfall of eight 3G artificial pitches and nine natural grass pitches.

Plans include three 3G pitches, four grass pitches of various sizes and a two-story pavillion potentially with a gym, studio space, soft-play and a party room. The site could have about 450 parking spaces, but access is tricky: Heathlands Road is a narrow, winding country lane and nearby land has already been sold for housing.

Chair of Wokingham Without Parish Council Nicholas Martin said heis working closely with Mark Ashwell, the boroughs executive member for sport and development.

He said: "Wokingham Without Parish Council is pledged to work as closely as we can with Mark to help bring the project to a successful fruition.

"This close working between a parish council and the borough council is very much in line with the excellent initiative of the leader of the borough council, Stephen Conway, to see the borough and parish and town councils working closely with the borough council and for the benefit of residents.

The Grays Farm project goes back years to when Angus Ross, a borough ward councillor for Wokingham Without, identified the need for sports pitches around south Wokingham. The council had been looking for a site since 2008 and commissioned feasibility work before buying the Grays Fruit farm site.

The council purchased the site for £2.8million in 2014 and plans to fund the hub from ringfenced developer contributions.

Martin added: "Wokingham Without is a non political council and we are happy of course to work closely with the borough council of whatever political hue. Angus Ross was a Conservative and Mark Ashwell is a Liberal.

"Wokingham Without Parish council is charged with participating constructively in the Grays Farm project whilst also ensuring that Pinewood continues to flourish as an important leisure centre for residents.

"People from all over the borough use Pinewood, which is really a national treasure and which is run of course by Wokingham Without Parish Council. Both the Gym club and the Judo club of Pinewood have sent members to participate in the Olympic Games.

"We at Wokingham Without Parish Council, anticipate people from all over the borough, and outside it even, will use the Grays Farm facility once it is up and running. It will have that in common with Pinewood."

Ted O'Neill, Local Democracy Reporter