Proposals to extend and upgrade a sports pavilion at Nutley have been submitted to Wealden Council.
The Nutley War Memorial Pavilion is used for all activities on Fords Green, by clubs including football, cricket and stool ball and is also the base for the village fete.
Last year the village football team was denied promotion in the Mid Sussex Football League “on the grounds of inadequate facilities” and this, according to a planning statement was a trigger leading to the review of the whole facility, and the needs of the whole village in the 21st century.
Inefficient
It is 20 years since the last major renovations were undertaken by village volunteers and the building is described as having become environmentally inefficient, especially because of heat loss and an outdated heating system, for modern day purposes.
The statement says: “The improvements would take into account the needs of children and provide vital independent showering facilities for both sexes.”
The aim is to extend the pavilion to provide improved changing and shower facilities for male and female, provide additional facilities for visiting sports officials, and to improve fire escape routes.
Flexible
The plan is also to provide a secondary staircase to allow an attic room to become a usable space, freeing additional ground floor space and providing a more flexible layout.
The statement says: “Additional storage provision will greatly aid the associated sports teams and the village fete committee.”
The statement added that the Fords Green Pavilion is in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty within the Ashdown Forest and the design has been formulated to be in keeping with the existing building and its environment.
The pavilion was opened on July 19, 1958, by the Rev David Sheppard, England and Sussex cricketer, as a memorial to villagers lost during World War 2.
