Find out about Project Weatherfield, the plan to develop our facilities and build a dementia care home at the edge of the back field. An open session will be held in the clubhouse this Wednesday, 15 January, 4.30 -7.30pm. Come along!

Improvements to Club Facilities, Funded by Development of Care Home
Briefing Note to Members
The Trustees of Amersham and Chiltern RFC have agreed, subject to contract, to sell to Zephyr X Ltd, a specialist care home developer, a portion of the back field for the construction of a dementia care home. The capital receipt will fund significant improvements to the club’s facilities. Because of their interdependence, the build and the improvements will be parts of a single planning application. We have given the whole proposal the name Project Weatherfield. More information is given below, in an FAQ format, and a plan of the proposal is attached.

1. What does the developer want to do?

There is a dearth of dementia care in England and particularly in Buckinghamshire. Zephyr X propose to meet some of this need by building a 60-bed care facility, based on a village concept, in the south-east corner of our back field. Because of the slope, this is an area that we do not use for playing rugby. The developer will improve Ash Grove and build a driveway and some parking to the care unit.

2. What are the proposed improvements to the club’s facilities?

In the main, we want to:

· Build a level all-weather pitch on the site of the present training pitch, with new floodlights.

· Reduce the slope on the railway pitch, using the soil moved from the training pitch.

· Further improve the drainage of all pitches.

· Provide irrigation to the current first and second pitches.

· Provide footpaths around the pitches.

· Build some Padel courts.

· Relay and improve the astroturf area outside the clubhouse and improve its drainage.

· Extend, improve and refurbish the clubhouse.

· Metal the long north car park and repair the western car park.

Zephyr X will be closely involved in the management of these works too. We anticipate synergies and savings from this close cooperation with the developer.

3. How much money will we receive and is it an appropriate amount?

Any payment is subject to planning permission being granted. The exact amount is confidential at present, but we are sure that it is a fair price. The trustees engaged property experts Knight Frank to value the proposal, and a small working party used their report to achieve the price that Knight Frank estimated. The capital sum should be sufficient to do what we want. Any surplus, and any income derived from the improvement in the club’s facilities, will be used to help maintain the renewed clubhouse and grounds.

4. What permissions do we need, and will we get them?

There are some charges on the land, but we do not anticipate any difficulty in obtaining relief from these. The main issue will be planning permission for the care home. The club is currently in the Green Belt and applications to build on it need to be very strongly supported. The need for care provision in the area will be the strongest argument but the club’s need to maintain and improve its facilities, and the fact that such a transaction is our only way to access adequate funds, will also be relevant. The developer is managing all the planning applications on our behalf as well as theirs and believes that there is a good chance of success.

The planning process begins on 6 January 2025, with the delivery to residents of invitations to a public consultation in the clubhouse at 4pm on 15 January 2025. The developer will manage this event.

5. Why not sell the whole ground and build a new one elsewhere?

As you know, the ground lies on the edge of an area of residential development. Members have often discussed the possibility of selling it for housing and building a new clubhouse and pitches somewhere else. However, there is no certainty in such a proposal. Achieving planning permission for a large housing site in the Green Belt would be extremely difficult. Such a scheme would take many years to come to fruition. We have never had a concrete proposal, whereas Zephyr X have made a definite offer.

On the positive side, Ash Grove is our home, and we want to stay there if we can. The improvements that are proposed should allow us to do that for some decades. We will have slightly less ground but no reduction in playing area, and we will be able to make more efficient use of what we own. For all these reasons, your committee and trustees believe that this is the best option for the club.

6. Why do we need an all-weather pitch?

We have spent a lot of money on the training pitch over the years, but it gets so much use that by mid-season it is very difficult to play or train on. An all-weather surface would allow teams to train throughout the season. It would also us to play when the grass pitches are waterlogged and, with proper planning, let every age group have some time on a Sunday.

7. What improvements to the clubhouse are proposed?

The last refurbishment of the clubhouse was nearly twenty years ago, and it no longer meets our needs. We have recently started a women’s team and need proper facilities for them, and for women referees. We do not have adequate toilets and drainage. We do not have sufficient storage space. We need work done in the gym, the kitchen and the bar. We spent £30k on catch-up repairs this year, but that money came out of reserves, and we do not have the resources to carry out works on this scale or to fund an ongoing maintenance programme in that way.

8. Why are we considering Padel courts?

Padel, a racket game, is said to be the fastest growing sport in Europe, and again there is a lack of provision in Amersham. Investing in Padel courts could meet this need and provide the club with another future income stream, which would help to finance the renewal of the all-weather surface when required, as well as the courts themselves. There are several financial models, and the club is in discussion with providers to investigate which one would serve us best.

9. When will work start?

Work will begin a few weeks after planning permission is obtained. If everything goes to plan (if the developer gets planning permission on first application), that could be in the summer of 2025.

10. How much disruption will there be?

Starting the work in the summer will reduce the amount of disruption to our playing activities but new pitch surfaces take time to lay and bed down and there will be some disruption early in the season 2025/26. Your committee are convinced that they can manage the change by manipulating playing times, home/away fixtures and venues, and that the permanent improvements will be worth the short-term inconvenience.

11. How can I find out more?

You can discuss the proposal with any committee member or trustee, and we would be grateful to hear your views. You can comment HERE and/or through the club website (a copy of this message is on there). In addition, there will be an informal discussion for club members, in the clubhouse from 1pm on Saturday 4 January and 11am on Sunday 5 January 2025. Finally, members are of course able to attend the public consultation on 15 January 2025.

I hope that you will support your committee and trustees in achieving the aims of Project Weatherfield.

Huw

Huw Thomas
Chairman,
Amersham and Chiltern RFC