Wyre Council wants ideas on how to spend £30k on improving facilities at Cottam Hall Playfields in Poulton

Ideas are wanted on how to spend £30,000 to improve sports facilities, accessibility and the environment at Poulton playing field.

Wyre Council has launched the first of two consultations for the development of a Masterplan for Cottam Hall Playing Fields in Poulton.

The council wants to see use of the 8.65 hectare site increased with improved sports facilities, accessibility, environmental and bio-diversity benefits, and is asking the local community to help establish its priorities.

Wyre has received £30,000 from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund [UKSPF] to develop the Masterplan. This will involve surveys and assessment of the site and its facilities, and a fully costed improvement plan to create a more active, inclusive, sustainable, and attractive asset for the local community now and in the future.

The council is seeking to retain and build upon the current community uses and promote key themes in terms of sport and activity, health and well-being, environment and biodiversity, accessibility and security, and broad community benefit.

Located off Blackpool Old Road, Cottam Hall features football pitches, a cricket pitch, a children’s play park and community garden. The car park and three buildings are owned by the authority and leased to local clubs who will be closely consulted throughout the process.

The first consultation launched this week and runs until Wednesday 11 October and members of the community are being asked to complete an online questionnaire regarding how they currently use the space and their hopes for its future.

Residents will be invited to attend a Community Clean Up day at Cottam Hall on Sunday 1 October from 11am – 1pm with the Masterplan project team where questions about the project will be welcome. Litter picking equipment, refreshments and paper copies of the online questionnaire will be provided.  

A second consultation later in the year will ask the community to comment on the initial Masterplan which emerges from this process, with the final Masterplan then forming the basis for future funding bids and planning applications.

Councillor Peter le Marinel, Portfolio Holder for Planning Policy and Economic Development at Wyre Council, said: “With funding from the UKSPF to develop a Masterplan, we have an opportunity to consider what improvements can be made for the benefit of the whole community.

“We want to establish a vision for the site and create a place people can be proud of, somewhere which provides high quality sports facilities and attracts visitors. We want to remove the barriers for those who currently don’t use the site, and tackle issues with antisocial behaviour, while also enhancing accessibility and biodiversity.

“Within that, it is crucial we hear from the people of Poulton and the surrounding area to understand their experience of the site and their ideas for improvement. I would encourage as many people as possible to complete our online questionnaire, join in with the Community Clean Up event, and engage with both stages of our consultation process.”

The project team in undertaking several consultation activities throughout September and has launched the online questionnaire to capture official feedback.

Information about the project and access to the online questionnaire can be found on the Wyre Council Website at www.wyre.gov.uk/haveyoursay

Information and paper copies of the form can be found at Poulton Library in Blackpool Old Road and at Wyre Council Civic Centre Reception in Breck Road, Poulton.

The project team will be working closely with local councillors, clubs which use Cottam Hall, and the Wyre Anti-Social Behaviour Working Group as part of the consultation.