Wealden Community Sports Hub given planning permission
Publish Date: 25 January 2024
Full planning permission for the development of a new sports hub facility in Hellingly has been given the green light.
The new sports hub includes two full size floodlit artificial pitches, two multi-use games areas (containing four dual floodlit tennis/netball courts), two padel tennis courts, skate park, play facilities and a sports building providing changing rooms, toilets and café, alongside parking, landscaping, drainage, ancillary works and vehicular access via the A267.
The state-of-the-art hub will also accommodate 206kWp solar array of photovoltaic (PV) panels over the parking spaces in the main car park – 60 spaces will have the ability to provide electric car charging with 20 spaces fitted with active from the outset with the remaining 40 passive spaces being capable of being brought into use as and when demand requires to plan for future increase in uptake.
The sports hub will be accessible by a new pedestrian and cycling access, which will also connect the site to the Cuckoo Trail. Bus routes will be enhanced to provide public transport links to the facility.
The 20-acre site will offer new opportunities in several sports and deliver health and wellbeing opportunities to a wide range of residents of all ages and abilities.
The project has been supported by Dominque Corbett from Hailsham Town Football Club and Mark Pedrick from Brighton and Hove Albion Foundation who both spoke today at the Planning Committee South meeting.
Councillor Kelvin Williams, Alliance for Wealden (Liberal Democrat), and lead councillor for Public Health, Wellbeing and Asset Management, said, “It is great news that the planning application has been given the go ahead. This is an exciting project which will offer residents in Hailsham and across Wealden a new sport and leisure provision to meet social, environmental, and economic needs and functions of the district in line with the recently adopted Council Strategy.
“The wellbeing of residents is important, and the new sports hub will provide the facilities for group classes and residents to use as a social meeting with friends and family.”
The full application, with a layout plan outlining the proposed development is available below. https://council.wealden.gov.uk/documents/s85815/WD20232100DC%20-%20LAND%20AT%20KNIGHTS%20FARM%20EAST%20LOWER%20HORSEBRIDGE%20HAILSHAM.pdf