Plans Submitted for Improved Facilities for Health and Wellbeing at Riverside Centre, Walsden as Part of Todmorden Town Deal Programme of Investment
Todmorden Town Deal’s project to develop a hub for health, well-being, recreation and sport has taken a step forward with Plans for the Riverside Centre project in Walsden submitted for planning permission by project partner, Upper Calder Valley Renaissance.
The plans include proposals for significant improvements to the existing clubhouse to make it fit for purpose including an extension, internal alterations, and modern retro insulation.
Also included is the introduction of measures to support the building’s sustainability and energy efficiency with the installation of an air source heat pump.
Works to the wider site feature improved quality playing fields, an all-ability cycle track, and landscaping works to improve and make a biodiversity net gain.
The vision for the Riverside Centre is to open up and extend the current activities so more people and community organisations are able to benefit from the fantastic potential of the eight acre site.
Plans submitted have been reviewed and shaped by a mix of current user stakeholders and potential users of the site including: The Junior Football Club, Scouts, and annual event users such as the Agricultural Society.
The ambition is to harness the natural beauty of the site for the long term by offering local communities a range of activities that can support better health and wellbeing, including a woodland facility for a forest school for use by local schools and mental well-being organisations and a base for the inspirational local charity ‘EMpowered People’ through a new all-ability cycling and training hub which will give people of all the opportunity to learn how to cycle, develop more confidence to use bikes and undertake courses in cycling proficiency.
The Riverside Centre is already offering a canal-side base for water sports such as kayaking, paddle boarding and canoeing, a scouting base for local troops and a centre for Duke of Edinburgh awards, and operates as the home of Todmorden Junior Football Club who are partners in a pitch quality improvement scheme.
The aim is to build on these existing facilities, alongside potentially introducing other sports and recreation as shaped by local community needs. An all-weather multi-games surface is proposed to support this.
The Riverside Centre project is also ambitious to create employment opportunities in the recreation and visitor economy for local people, especially young people, who can gain new skills and experience in their town.
Peter Hirst, Director, UCVR said::
“Our vision is to create a venue with multiple facilities designed to appeal to people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities.
“The opportunities we are looking to provide will draw upon the full potential of the site in terms of its location and physical assets, supported by the Town Deal investment and further investment we will make and raise.
We are delighted to see so many groups including the local scouts and Junior football benefitting from the wonderful site, but its future depends on also being able to offer more diverse opportunities for a wider community.
“Submitting our plans is an exciting step towards achieving this long-term goal.”
Pam Warhurst, Chair, Todmorden Town Deal Board said:
“It’s great news that plans for developing the Riverside Centre into a venue that can really support local people to enjoy better health and wellbeing, as well as having fun, has moved forward.
“As a Board, we appreciate the huge amount of hard work put in by the project team and their partners to get to this stage and look forward to the next steps in realising the vision.”
The next step, subject to plans being approved, is to develop tendering documents to move forward with construction.
