Approval for youth club’s new home
AYOUTH club which has been the victim of a planning row for more than eight years has finally found a new home.
Prestbury Youth Club was forced out of its premises at Ford House in 2008 when the 19th century building was declared unfit on health and safety grounds.
And while the owners, the Parochial Church Council (PCC), wanted to sell the property to developers, residents formed the Save Ford House Group and campaigned to keep the site as a community space, resulting in an eight year battle over the future of the site.
Plans to demolish the iconic building and replace it with a block of six apartments were finally approved in December last year and a deal was struck to give the youth club £35,000 towards a new youth facility.
And now the youth group, which has been temporarily based at the village hall, has had its planning application for a new site at Bollin Grove approved.
April Green, chair of Prestbury Youth Club, said: “Homeless for the last eight years we have been in discussions with St Peters Church (PCC) with regards compensation for the loss of our building and are happy to confirm in December 2014 we reached a settlement of £35k towards a new youth facility.
“The YC wish is to create a place where the children can feel free to express themselves in a space they have helped develop and fundraise.
“The building will provide not only the amenities for the two groups mentioned but also the space and opportunity for other youth groups within the village.
“We would also like to expand the use of the building to incorporate training for a girls’ football team, grass roots coaching, junior multi sports, and a drama club.”
The space will also be shared with the AFC Prestbury U15 football team, which will use the pitch at Bollin Grove.
Simon Barker, chair of AFC Prestbury, said: “The boys and parents are very excited to be able to share use of the building and have a clubhouse they can call their own. It has made us feel very much part of the community and it will not only be of benefit to us but to future generations in the village.”
The children and organisers are now running community events to raise £125,000 needed to build their dream premise.
For more information go to prestburyouthclub. com or call 01625 820467.