Buxton with Lamas

YOUTH HALL & PLAYING FIELDS

Since 1992, a committee of dedicated people involved with running organisations for the young people in the village has been fundraising to build a specialist hall for the uniformed youth groups, and for the general use of young people. There are about 150 children and youths to be catered for, from Buxton itself and up to 20 surrounding communities. This committee was called BALAY (Buxton And Lamas Area Youth).

The youth football club also has a membership of about 80 boys at present, who can train on the one existing pitch at the recreation ground, but who cannot play competitive matches in the village. It was acknowledged by Broadland District council that the parish was severely under-provided for in outdoor recreational space.

Since January 2000, the Parish Council has been involved in negotiations to buy 10 acres of land off Aylsham Road. This has been linked to a development of five houses - input from the developer enabled the Council to purchase the land at a very reasonable price. The Planning Committee granted permission in principle for both developments in January 2001, and since then the various legal agreements have been in preparation. These were finally signed at the end of July, and the land (excluding that for housing) finally belongs to the Parish Council. Legal agreements are now in preparation to lease the land to the BALAY committee, who will run the whole site on a charity basis, and prepare a bid to the National Lottery for funds to build the hall.

The hall itself will comprise meeting rooms and storage facilities for all the youth groups, a central hall for indoor sports, a coffee bar/youth club, an changing rooms an facilities for outdoor sports. Outside there will be 3 or 4 mnii and youth football pitches, and with these improved facilities and more space, it is hoped to start a girls' team.

Funding for the preparation and seeding of the playing field was obtained from Norfolk Environmental Waste Services, through the Environmental Projects Agency, to whom the Council is grateful. The field should be ready for youth football training this summer.

22 May 2003