Plans for new pavilion at Battle's Recreation Ground

In an application validated last week, Battle Town Council is seeking planning permission to demolish the existing pavilion, at the Recreation Ground in North Trade Road, before replacing it with a larger, more modern facility.

The new building would include upgraded showers and changing rooms, as well as a private shower and changing room for match officials.

According to the council, these new facilities would allow for Battle Town Football Club to meet the standards it needs to, to achieve promotion to a higher league. The club has a priority use agreement with the council, but the facilities would also be available for use by other groups.

The new pavilion would also have a community/cafe area (which the town council intends to lease out), together with a clubhouse space which could be used by local sports and leisure groups.

While not submitted as part of the application, documents on the town council’s website go into more detail about the proposals. In these, a spokesman for the town council said: “We want to provide a modern pavilion that will be a focal point for users of the Rec. A welcoming community area with refreshment facilities would draw in and incentivise tentative participants.

“We are working with key partners to ensure that sports and leisure facilities are made accessible to a much wider range of people, especially those with disabilities.

“We are particularly keen to encourage women and girls into team activities through offering modern changing facilities with individual shower cubicles that will provide privacy for users.”

These documents also say the project — both demolition and construction — is expected to cost somewhere in the region of £765,000. The town council say the majority of this funding is expected to come from the use of Community Infrastructure Levy monies, although it also hopes to secure funding from the Football Foundation and Football Stadia Improvement Fund.

The new pavilion building is expected to have solar panels on its roof and will also include a basement storage area, which clubs would be able to use to keep their equipment.