Homes plan will pay for new sports facilities in Stondon

New sport and leisure facilities are to be provided for Stondon residents as part of a development linked to a scheme which will provide 40 homes in the village.

The housing is to be built on land at the back of Stondon Lower School and playing fields in Upper Stondon.

Its other project involves the demolition of the village hall and sports pavilion on land next to 6 The Pastures at Upper Stondon.

A new village hall and sports pavilion will be built, along with a tennis court, school playground and an improved car parking area.

These proposals were also agreed by Central Bedfordshire Council’s development management committee.

“The redevelopment of Stondon Recreation Association facilities and the parish council-owned village hall in Stondon offer significant community gains,” said Nigel Benson, chairman of Stondon Parish Council.

“We are concerned the development schedule will delay these gains,” he told the meeting last Wednesday.

“The village hall is widely used so talks are required to ensure access to the facilities are maintained while the village hall is being rebuilt,” he said. “Ideally the new sports pavilion needs to be open before the old one is knocked down. This will provide an interim facility for village hall users while the new hall is being built,” he explained.

“We are pleased we finally have a vision of new community facilties in sight, albeit funded by 40 houses in a village beseiged by developers.”

See page 12.