The Recreation Development Group (RDG) have been looking at options for the future of the Recreation Ground since March 2021 and in June 2023 commissioned a Masterplan to be designed by surveyors Wilby and Burnett. This looked at various options for the site, including the conversion of the current grass courts into all weather, floodlit tennis courts, as well as improvements to the drainage, car parking and surfacing on the site. The group had selected an option to flesh out further and were in the process of building a business plan for the possible project in order to present this to the Wellbeing, Recreation and Leisure (WRL) Committee as well as Full Council in October 2024 for approval. The report from the surveyors is uploaded here (Wilby and Burnett Masterplan)
However, recent developments regarding planning applications for sports facilities for IVC, concerns over traffic and parking on New Road and the effect of this on residents, as well as the options regarding the property at 12 New Road (currently being used by staff), have now been viewed as having a direct consequence on any future plans at the site. The convener of the RDG, after discussions with the Chair of the WRL Committee, has therefore recommended that they should not move ahead until a decision on the future of the house is made, and that the facilities being introduced at IVC, if approved, will have an impact on what can happen at the Recreation Ground, as the group would not want to duplicate facilities in the community and need to consider the impact of any changes on parking and traffic. Options to encourage more cycling to the Recreation Ground should also be considered more carefully.
The WRL Committee has approved a spend to undertake a survey to identify possible futures for the house, and once this has been received the RDG will meet to discuss the way forward. As part of the original masterplan creation, the surveyors had included an option for a small pump track on site but it came at the cost of losing other facilities and was therefore discounted at the time as the main priority had been on the need for a 3G football pitch. No other options showed a feasible use of the site for a pump track at the time the plans were drafted with the current usage and layout.