Community centre expansion wins approval

Ambitious plans to treble the size of a nationally-acclaimed community learning centre at AFC Telford United's ground in Wellington have been approved.

The scheme, backed yesterday by Telford & Wrekin Council's plans board, will see the authority build an extension to the two-storey centre overlooking the pitch at The New Bucks Head.

Members heard the expansion will add 943 sq metres of floor space to the 315 sq metres at present and provide up to 13 new training and meeting rooms.

The two-storey, L-shaped extension will also include "corporate box-style" facilities to be built off the first floor training rooms for use by disabled and business clients.

Lifts, a plant room, toilets and extra kitchen facilities are also included.

The existing centre offers not only training facilities but also a social room, an IT suite, six training rooms, a kitchen, toilets and offices. Management of the complex is the responsibility of the Community Partnership which is made up of the football club, the council, Telford Chamber of Commerce, Telford & Wrekin Primary Care Trust and a string of educational establishments such as Telford College of Arts and Technology.

A report, prepared by council officers, to last night's meeting said: "The learning centre has been hugely successful and is now recognised nationally as an example of good practice in public, private and community sector involvement with a football club environment, benefiting one of the borough's most socially deprived and economically-disadvantaged areas."

Members heard planning officers believed there was more than enough room on the 360-space car park at the club to build the extension and most visitors to the ground arrived by coach anyway.