Work to prepare Wiltshire Council’s Melksham House site for the modern multi-use community campus will start next week.
The plans for Melksham Community Campus include a six-lane swimming pool and a learner pool, fitness suite, fitness studio, library, sports hall, community meeting rooms, a café and office space. This will be in addition to the existing outdoor bowls provision, the new cricket pavilion and two new tennis courts. The campus project has also already successfully delivered the Oakfields football and rugby facility and Fifth Skate Park at other locations in the town.
On Monday 16 March, a programme of tree works will commence. There are a number of trees that need to be removed to enable the construction of the campus and others need to be removed because of their condition. The works also include extensive maintenance works, to ensure the remaining trees remain healthy and continue to be a feature on the site. This is a key first step in preparing the site for construction and beginning to restore the wider site.
There will be further landscaping works prior to campus opening, including planting of 42 trees, numerous shrubs and planted borders. Access routes and lighting have all been designed to create a parkland environment.
Cllr Chris Williams, Wiltshire Council Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Communities, said: “This work is an important and necessary step as we look to start construction later this year on the fantastic new facility for Melksham.
“Whenever we decide to fell trees it is never done lightly, and all other options are explored before we make that decision.
“As part of the campus programme we are planting 42 new trees across the site and more than 1,300 shrubs, and we hope when complete it will be in keeping with the historic parkland setting, with the type of scenery that we know so many people admire.
“We thank everyone for their patience while we complete these essential works, which will pave the way for work to get started and our vision to become a reality, which will result in the local community getting a facility they can be really proud of.”
It is anticipated this work will take 10 days and the site will remain open to the public throughout. It may be necessary to reduce a small number of parking bays within the main car park, to allow the contractors to work and keep the public safe. The main access road may also be reduced in width for a time, so people should be aware of warning signs and take care when entering and exiting the site.
If people would like to view a site plan detailing the locations and trees affected please visit the campus webpage www.wiltshire.gov.uk/community-environment-melksham-community-campus
and if they have any questions relating to these works, please contact melkshamcampus@wiltshire.gov.uk
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