Followers of KAGE may be interested in the following article which is to be placed on the Kesgrave Town Council website:

Millennium Sports Ground Pavilion

The Millennium Sports Ground Pavilion is situated on the Sports Ground accessed via Millennium Way, off Century Drive. Council had for some time considered its future as the internal arrangements do not lend the building to general community use. The grounds it sits on is Public Open Space and this cannot support football other than for teams of young children. The building has therefore for some years been running at a considerable loss. The Town Council held a consultation in October 2012 for nearby residents to explain the alternatives for the Pavilion long term, and then in the November issue of Kesgrave News invited all residents to comment.

Understandably residents views differ but the majority were in favour of the Council’s proposals. So in the interest of the community as a whole Council took the decision to go ahead with raising the Precept to in part fund some alterations to extend the building and to alter it internally. The intention had been to submit a planning application in early March but the presentation by Persimmon led Council to believe an application for housing South of Long Strops was to be made at the end of March. The Town Council therefore delayed their own application to assess the implications of this.

The Persimmon application was not forthcoming within the the expected timescale and it is understood Suffolk Coastal have written to the developer robustly stating that the proposal would not be looked on favourably.

If permission is to be granted for works to be undertaken at the Pavilion the intention is for the altered building to be available for the beginning of 2014. A decision had to be taken therefore to submit the application without further delay. Some changes to the internal arrangements within the original proposals have been made, and the application was lodged earlier in May. As with any planning application all the statutory consultees have been advised by Suffolk Coastal, and the plans are available to be viewed at both Melton and the Town Council Offices.