A redrawn Clevedon Showgrounds concept plan has been approved by Franklin Local Board.
A draft plan went out for public consultation earlier this year and despite widespread support in some quarters, it was criticised in others, including by the equestrian community.
Franklin Local Board chair Angela Fulljames says the concept plan approved at the August business meeting is quite different than the draft.
“That’s a good thing because it shows we have listened to the concerns of users and tried to accommodate their needs in a plan that’s now better suited to the development of what will be an increasingly critical asset to the community.
“People shouldn’t criticise anyone who became invested in shaping the plan. The concerns of dog-walkers might be different to those of tennis or equestrian, but they are all legitimate park users and deserve to be heard.”
Developing a plan came out of a needs assessment in the 2022/2023 financial year, with the board requesting staff look at the possible development of the Showgrounds while considering the area’s growth.
“We allocated funds towards the consultation, development and approval of a concept plan and we undertook to work with stakeholders.
“A draft concept plan came to us in March and then went to public consultation. We got a very comprehensive response that ranged from acceptance to rejection, but that has allowed us to go back and incorporate a lot of what we had heard into a revised plan.”
Fulljames says having a plan in place, even one with no funding to progress it, allows user groups to pursue projects with certainty in terms of park use.
The Showgrounds host rugby, football, cricket, tennis and bowls, equine sports, and the Farmer’s Market. It is also an important resource for informal recreation such as walking, cycling and skateboarding, and the Clevedon A&P Show.
The revised plan includes updates from public engagement that include a tennis and carpark entrance at the northern end, removal of the proposed events centre, existing road and path connections maintained, the pony club staying on its site, stabilised parking areas and provision for future road connections to the north and south.
The board is unable to fund development at the Showgrounds that is projected to cost around $24.5million. However, it will look at elements of the plan as part of the next annual work programme, balanced against other needs across the area.
The next steps will be using the plan to feed into work programmes.
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