Redrow to contribute nearly £1.3m to Calne
Calne's Anchor Road Community Park is to see £50,000 of investment over the next few months as the result of a section 106 contribution from housebuilder Redrow.
The contribution is part of the company’s pledge to pay nearly £1.3 million to local community projects over the next decade as part of its development of the land behind Sandpit Road.
The first tranche of money is to be spent on a complete refurbishment of the Anchor Road Park’s tennis courts, which, following the relocation of the Town’s Tennis Club to Beversbrook, will substantially increase the time available for the public to play tennis at a quality facility.
Calne mayor Councillor Glenis Ansell, town clerk Linda Roberts and Redrow Homes area sales manager Nikki Boulton paid a visit to the park to inspect progress on the work, which represents half of the contribution to the park to be made by Redrow over the course of its development of land at Sandpit Road.
As well as the contributions made to park improvements, Redrow has also undertaken to pay £200,000 towards the enhancement of primary education in the area, and over £55,000 towards secondary education. Half of this has already been paid.
In addition, the company is making a £10,000 contribution towards travel monitoring and the funding of a travel plan coordinator, and up to £250,000 for works on Oxford Road and the enhancement of cyclist and pedestrian links to and from the new development. Up to a further £239,500 will be contributed towards supporting and promoting sustainable travel around the site to ensure that any impact of new housing on traffic and the environment will be minimised. Some £55,000 of this contribution has already been made, with more to follow as the development progresses.
Town clerk Linda Roberts said, “Anchor Road Recreation Ground is Calne’s central park and as such holds a very special place in the heart of the community. Further investment in the park, which will improve and enhance leisure provision in the town, can only be welcomed. Local people will benefit in all sorts of ways over the course of this development.”
Mayor Councillor Ansell said, “It would be great to see a future Wimbledon champion come out of Calne as the result of this investment. The opportunity it gives to people of all ages to enjoy their sport and keep fit can only be a huge benefit to the town.”