More discussions needed over Avon Valley Shed plans

Fordingbridge Town Council’s finance and policy committee discussed the Avon Valley Shed’s project for the building on the recreation ground during a meeting over Zoom last week.

The council had been waiting for clarification over whether the building would be needed for storage but the meeting heard if there were problems with the storage in the refurbishment of the pavilion other options could be found, which would not require use of the toilet block.

Gary Knight, of Avon Valley Shed, said: “We’ve had some plans initially drawn up, which are just ideas we are kicking around at the moment. We haven’t agreed anything as yet but obviously those plans have been priced as well so we’ve got an idea of what we are looking at budget wise.”

Councillor Anna Wilson said the council needed to look at the plans again.

Councillor Paul Anstey raised concerns over increased need for electricity and water at the building, adding: “We would have to look at options whether we metre that electric and water, which we didn’t have with the original proposed lease for the rugby club.”

Councillor Malcolm Adams said these issues would come out when the lease was reviewed and that insurance would also have to be looked at. He said: “We’ve got to re-look and maybe draw a whole new lease up.”

Cllr Anstey said the council had previously offered the block to Hampshire County Council for a youth facility and he believed its conversion of the building was priced at at least £30,000.

He said the peppercorn rent for the rugby club took into account the labour the club put in. Mr Knight said a certain amount of the labour could be done by members of the group.

Cllr Adams said: “We’ve got to wait for you to come back and raise it again. We are talking about things we don’t know what’s happening.”

The meeting heard if the council wanted to consider the project for Community Infrastructure Levy funding it would need to be considered in October.