A landowner in Walton on Thames, Surrey has launched an
online consultation over plans for a grassroots football centre and camping
ground. The website, AppsFC.blogspot.com, designed by Studio 425 architect John
Inglis, invites local football clubs, schools, community groups and welfare support
networks for people living with disabilities to get involved with the design
process.
The proposed development at Apps Court Farm, Surrey includes
new football pitches and changing rooms, which double up as an amenity block
for campers in the summer months. The site has been used for both football and
camping in the past, though the combination of uses in one project is a recent
innovation. The owners hope to address a local shortage of sports facilities
whilst attracting new visitors to the area in the summer months. Combining the
facilities means the building can be used all year round and the camp site can
benefit from exceptional standards, particularly in providing WCs and showers
for wheelchair users and people with limited mobility.
As a green belt site, the farm is keen to promote
opportunities for outdoor sport and recreation. The use of social media is also
seen as a way to involve local youth, who typically shy away from traditional show-and-tell
community consultation events. The website was put together using Blogger,
which means there are no overheads for web-hosting and its design and operation
is carried out by the project architects, who would normally manage community
consultation and pre-planning enquiries. The automatic record of hits and ease
of commenting also help the architects demonstrate their consultation efforts
to the local planning authority.
To find out more see Apps Court Football Camp.