By Carmelo Garcia – Local Democracy Reporter
A new bid to save plans for a new leisure centre and community hub from disaster has been approved as Gloucestershire councillors agreed to put in an extra £1.8m towards the scheme.
Forest of Dean District Council has approved a “bold way forward” to borrow funds for the new facilities at Five Acres near Coleford.
There have been fears the project, which was allocated £9.2m from the government 2021, could become another debacle akin to that of the Cinderford Northern Quarter project.
And councillors agreed on March 20 to put another £1.8m in to the scheme to give them “a chance” to develop the “barren wasteland”.
The latest iteration of plans for the site will not include a multipurpose sports hall and performance venue.
Instead a reduced footprint for that area will see a gym, soft play and seating area created on the ground floor.
And it includes a group exercise room and cycle studio on the first floor along with more soft play space and adventure slides.
The revised scheme could also see a new layout including a cafe, party room and power assisted exercise room on the ground floor.
Property and projects cabinet member Sid Phelps (G, Lydbrook) told the meeting the council must “be bold and grasp that nettle of opportunity”.
He said if councillors could not commit to the extra funding, the authority would be at risk of losing the government grant for the site – and could even have to resell the site to Homes England for £1.
Council leaders said the scheme may not come to fruition even with the extra funding but they said if they did not support this the “whole project would go”.
Councillor Jamie Elsmore (Progressive Independents, Berry Hill) said he has yearned to bring the saga to “an end with a positive outcome”.
“I can honestly say it’s a journey I would recommend to anyone,” he said.
He said some individuals wanted to scupper the project over the years. And he called on councillors to “do the right thing” to be “remembered for giving to the community and not what they take away from it” and vote for “leaving a legacy”.
Councillor Jackie Dale (G, Pillowell) said it was not what the council wanted for the people of Coleford and Berry Hill.
She said she would support it knowing they would be able to extend the facilities and build a swimming pool and theatre in the future.
“I hope we can remain open minded about what will go in the leisure box,” she said.
“Slightly heavyhearted, I am going to support the current proposal today.”
Cllr Tim Gwilliam (Progressive Independents, Berry Hill) said he was tired of the discussion.
He made an impassioned plea to councillors to vote in favour of the proposals and shed a tear after concluding his emotional speech.
“It has been 15 years,” he said. “It’s why I came into this chamber.”
He said the struggle in bringing the project forward “nearly killed him twice”. “This isn’t about statues, or naming anything.
“This is about righting a wrong. In 2011, this council, without consultation, did that community wrong.
“It said it would support the [then named] Homes and Communities Agency to build 400 houses if they could get Gloucestershire College to move to the Cinderford Northern Quarter.”
He said the council has since changed and is listening to the community. “I’m genuinely sorry we have had to come back for money again,” he said.
“This can be a legacy. Let’s not hurt those people again.”
Cllr David Wheeler (G, Newland and Sling) said the latest plan was not going to create a “leisure destination”.
He said Coleford would get an “inferior” leisure centre and would have the worst in the district.
But he agreed with Cllr Dale and said he would “support it with a heavy heart”.
“It isn’t what the people of Coleford and Berry Hill wanted to see. They wanted a theatre and swimming pool.
“It is absolutely imperative that once we have agreed this and started building we start plans for those extensions and additional facilities on the site.
“Until then we have sold short the people in Coleford and surrounding area.”
Councillor Ian Whitburn (I, Coleford) said Coleford lost leisure centre, swimming pool and theatre for Forest of Dean
“I’m infuriated we are in this situation,” he said. But he praised Cllrs Gwilliam and Elsmore for their dogged determination.
And Cllr Nick Evans (C, Tidenham) said he welcomed the debate being held in public. “It is really important that our residents know the strength of feeling,” he said.
He said the site is a liability with “sunk” costs but “there is also a liability on all of us to look at the wellbeing of future generations.
And a “sunk opportunity if we didn’t take this work forward”.
“This council has got a couple of years left. This would be a good legacy to leave for the district,” he said.
“Something tangible we managed to achieve and deliver. This isn’t what we wanted but there is the promise of more to come.”
Cllr Phelps said he was been quite stressed about the proposals ahead of the meeting. “This isn’t what everyone wanted,” he said.
“Not what anyone envisaged, but it is a long way from nothing. It’s going to be difficult but now we have a chance to deliver this.”
Councillors voted unanimously to approve the proposals to borrow funds and bring forward the new version of the Five Acres project.