Buckhurst Field to see major recreation upgrade

South Swindon Parish Council has announced plans for a major improvements programme at Buckhurst Field that will enhance sport and recreation amenities across the site. Planned upgrades include rebuilding the play area, the skate park and sports facilities, as well as pitch improvements, landscaping, and more. The parish council will be working with partners including Swindon Borough Council, the Football Foundation and the Oakfield Development Board. If delivered in full, the field would receive over £600,000 of investment over the next 18 months.

Swindon Borough Council – Introducing a new cycling and walking route for Buckhurst Field

As part of the overall improvement plans, Swindon Borough Council is looking to construct a new walking and cycle path around the perimeter of Buckhurst Field. This project aims to:

• Provide a safe and designated cycling route connecting existing paths from Dorcan Way to Queens Drive.
• Offer a sustainable travel option for residents accessing Buckhurst Field recreation facilities and linking surrounding neighbourhoods.
• Promote health and environmental benefits associated with cycling versus vehicular travel.

This path would be approximately 1 mile in length, following along the Park North boundary of the field. It would have a tarmac surface, with a width -of 3 metres and would be promoted as a share used route, with no formal segregation between pedestrians and cyclists. Safety signage and lighting will be installed along the path.

Residents and users of the local cycling and walking network have until Friday 26 April 2024 to provide comments to the borough council’s cycle and pedestrian path proposal by emailing transportplanning@swindon.gov.uk.

Public Drop-In Session

The Parish and Borough Council will be holding a public drop-in session to present their vision for new Buckhurst Field and gather feedback from residents. This will take place on Thursday 14 March 2024 from 3:30pm-6:30pm at Buckhurst Community Centre, Burghley Close, SN3 3BS.

Members of the public are encouraged to stop by to view plans, ask questions of council representatives, and share their perspectives on the proposed upgrades.
The plans are also available on the South Swindon Parish Council website: www.southswindon-pc.gov.uk/buckhurst-field/

Residents will have until Friday 26 April to respond to Swindon Borough Council’s proposal for the new cycle and pedestrian path.

Play Area

The current play area will be renovated with new inclusive equipment to enable use by children of a range of abilities and ages. The goal is to make the space more accessible with new equipment will be accessible for those with disabilities or special educational needs and new equipment that will provide greater play value to young people. There will be new swings, a sensory play board, a zipline, hurricane swing and more. The pathways around the play area will also be widened and improved.

The design was presented to local disability advocacy group Mums on a Mission, who welcomed the design and its accessibility.

Work on the play area will start in the spring and will last 3-4 weeks.

Sports Facilities and Pitches

The inactive football pitches will be restored by specialist contractors to game condition, including drainage improvements and improved turf. Additionally, the current changing rooms will be reformatted into a new sports pavilion that will be used by local junior football group, Swindon Robins. The changing rooms haven’t been updated since they were built over 20 years ago. They will be remodelled for use by junior football clubs.

The parish council will also be resurfacing the pothole ridden car park that serves the changing rooms.

Work on the sport pitches and pavilion will start in the spring. The parish council will be asking residents to stay off the affected land until it recovers.

Skate Park

The parish council will be aiming to remodel the skate park with a modern design focused on play value, accessibility, and ease of maintenance. The new design incorporates accessibility for most extreme sports, across skateboarding, roller blading, BMX and scooters.

The parish council has consulted skate park users on the design and will be making announcements in the coming months regarding further engagement to do with the rebuild.

PlayZone/Multi-Use-Games-Area

The Parish Council is working with the Football Foundation to develop a wholesale refurbishment of the Buckhurst Multi-Use-Games-Area, including an expansion of the court, resurfacing based on sports played on the court, and new bins and benches. Sports that have been identified for use in this area are football, basketball and volleyball.

Early consultation has been undertaken with residents; the majority of whom are supportive of the scheme.

The new games area would be funded by the Football Foundation’s PlayZones programme which uses investment from the Premier League, The FA and the Government through Sport England and the Football Foundation.

Surveys of the site are being undertaken and planning permission will need to be obtained before any rebuild of the Multi-Use Games Area can be confirmed.

Cllr Linda Kasmaty, Chair of Leisure, Environment and Amenities, said:

“This programme represents South Swindon Parish Council’s largest investment ever in recreation facilities for our community. We’ve worked hard to create an inclusive vision that increases access to exercise, social interaction and just plain fun. We’re delighted to work with the borough council and that they support our vision for the future use of the field. And we’re proud to welcome an established local club like Swindon Robins FC to make Buckhurst their home ground.”

Councillor Jim Grant, Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Communities and Joint Working, said:

“This is a fantastic scheme for the local community and I’m delighted we are working with the parish council to bring it forward.

“We are extremely supportive of the recreation upgrades, which will build on the improvements we are already making to the sport and leisure facilities at Moredon Sporting Hub.

“The new path for cyclists and pedestrians the Borough Council is proposing will provide an important link between Queens Drive and Marlowe Avenue.

“It is not just part of our Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan, it will also complement work we are doing on the Marlowe Avenue masterplan to the north of Buckhurst Field, which has a strong commitment to promoting walking and cycling in the local area.”

Paul Wainwright, Chair of Swindon Robins, said:

“Since our founding in 1991, we’ve been a club without a true home base, having to use various pitches and facilities around Swindon for matches and practice. Finally having a permanent venue at Buckhurst will allow us to establish a real community hub for our players, families and supporters. The new sports pavilion with changing rooms and club space will provide an ideal headquarters. And the restoration of the grass pitches means our teams from under-7s up to under-18s will have a high-quality place to play week in and week out. We have big ambitions to grow participation in junior football across Swindon, and these upgraded facilities give us a solid foundation.”

For more information about the Parish Council and their initiatives, please visit www.southswindon-pc.gov.uk