Replacement Sutton Neighbourhood Plan Referendum
Mark Inskip
Liberal Democrat District and Parish Councillor for Sutton Learn more
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Replacement Sutton Neighbourhood Plan Referendum
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A Revitalised Mepal Outdoor Centre
by markinskip on 23 August, 2020
Generations of children and young people benefited from Mepal Outdoor Centre until an arson attack in 2016 forced the centre to close. After an abortive attempt to re-open with a new operator we recently learnt that East Cambs District Council now plans to use the site for a new crematorium. An alternative of a revitalised Outdoor Centre could offer opportunities for all ages.
Here is an alternative vision for Mepal Outdoor Centre, one that does not abandon those decades of use as an outdoor recreation and leisure facility but instead looks to build on that legacy. Any new vision needs to be developed with the local community and with local groups and organisations. It should not be decided by councillors behind closed doors and the ideas I provide here are just suggestions. I welcome your thoughts and feedback.
It is all too easy to write off this generation’s young people as spending all day playing on their phone and computer but if the good facilities aren’t available locally for them to use their options are limited. The activities at a revitalised outdoor centre should not however be limited to children and young people, there should be activities for all ages. The government is encouraging everyone to spend more time outdoors and exercising. Indoor leisure facilities are struggling because of COVID-19 restrictions.
Previously the council restricted itself to identifying a single operator to run the centre but such operators rarely provide the broad range of activities that could be delivered at the outdoor centre. A better approach would be to create a community based organisation to oversee and manage the facility and seek a range of external organisations to deliver a variety of activities. This could be through a Community Interest Company or a Community Land Trust owned and run by the local community.
Of course to be viable the facilities would need investment. The council has not said publicly how much their crematorium plans will cost but a new facility being built in Huntingdon has been reported to come with a bill for around £7 million. Provide just a fraction of that, say 7% or around £0.5 million from the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL), then seek match funding from bodies that provide grants for leisure and recreation and a sizeable sum of money could be amassed to restore and improve the facilities. CIL is money paid by developers to the district council and is ring-fenced for improvements to community infrastructure. Linden Homes for example are paying hundreds of thousands of pounds to East Cambs District Council for their new development in Sutton. Why not re-invest some of these funds locally?
With a wider range of activities the revitalised outdoor centre would appeal to a broad range of the community (see suggestions in the graphic above). Operating income to maintain the facilities could be generated from the activities organised by the various groups and operators. A café could be added to provide somewhere to eat and drink as well as to generate income from catering. School and college groups could once again visit the centre and businesses could use the facilities for team-building activities, a growing need with more staff expected to work remotely in future. Individuals and families could book and attend events and activities organised by a wide range of groups and operators. Scouts, Guides and other groups may also want to use the facilities.
Let me know your thoughts by commenting at the end of this blog post. Is this a vision of a revitalised Mepal Outdoor Centre that should be explored? What activities and groups do you see using the centre? How would you change the vision I have proposed?
And if, like me, you think Mepal Outdoor Centre is the wrong location for a crematorium and that the council should instead be working with residents to build a successful future for Mepal Outdoor Centre as a leisure and recreation centre sign the petition https://www.ecld.org.uk/moc
16 Comments
I would very much like the outdoor centre to be back up and running. It was a fabulous place that we used often both as a family and with the scouts.
I take students on a trip to Eaton vale activity centre which is similar and they also have a rifle range and axe throwing. There could be the option for stand up paddle boarding too?
I’m not against the cream – Nepal outdoor is a huge place – they should have always opened it up for fishing – fishing makes money – why did it close ? people stopped using it – use it or lose it – no good now complaining and he’s I did use it with my kids and with the scouts – there’s a lot that can be done and money made – right people managing it.
There are people using the lake for fishing now, I just wonder who gave them permission and if that has not been given. Why are the Council allowing it to continue or is it only an amenity for the privileged few.
This needs to reflect current demands and trends or it will just fail again. With that in mind, it should become an Aquadrome with attached caravanning and camp site. Activities should include Jet Skiing, Wind Surfing, Water Skiing and boating. An inflatable assault course like the one at Stretham would also be a good addition. If run properly, with strong marketing, it should be a success. Returning to variations of the previous formats will ultimately generate the same result.
Hi,
You have probably seen my angry FB posts with regard to the virtual theft of the Outdoor Centre. It represents yet another loss of amenities for our community.
I’m very much in favour of reopening it as a better managed outdoor centre with better facilities and see no reason why the right business model couldn’t pay for itself.
In addition to the obvious activities it could easily be marketed as a centre for outdoor learning and group work of all kinds and ages. What springs to mind is days for young carers, and minors in care. It could easily be marketed as a weekend away for kids, to council education, and social services Dept’s (for which they could pay). It could be a neutral meeting place for all kinds of mediation from family break up, to pre fostering meetings. All it would need would be a couple of refurbished temporary classroom type buildings and it’s a small conference centre, a club room, classes and space for camp beds. It needs careful planning costing and supporting, but there is no doubt that it could be run as a very exciting amenity.
There is even room for a small independent cinema or bowling alley.
I agree it should reflect todays current trends. Anything outdoors is a plus for young and old but it has to be properly marketed otherwise it will only fail again. My concerns are the anabolic digester next door which has a particularly unpleasant aroma and not sure if this would have health implications? However a crem off an increasingly main busy road with hearses travelling all day back and forth at respected mph will only encourage dangerous driving and certain road users taking to the back roads to catch up travel times. Not withstanding the current build build attitude, the A142 will become a car park and how healthy is that for residents and the environment!
Totally the wrong place for a crematorium. Definitely the right place for an outdoors centre. Needs investment in camping area for schools, Scouts and other youth groups. Mountain biking may also be worth investigating.
how about mini golf, go karts, segways?
Being an amateur photographer and getting out during lockdown to take photos, I noticed that people were outside more and everyone I have spoken to since said they’ve learned to appreciate the outdoors and nature more. It would be nice to have something back that the community could use safely to do some outdoor activities and get close to nature. I’m a committee member of a local photography club and it could essentially be a good place for us to use locally for photo shoots or events. Personally I like the idea of wild swimming alongside some of the other suggestions. So many possibilities.
All of the above… plus…
Inflatable water park, trampoline room, parties (for children and for stag/hen dos etc), forest school, sand court for “beach“ volleyball, “fitness studios” to hire for classes – yoga, pilates, Zumba, aerial hoop – people who run these classes are always looking for venues! Love the idea of glamping etc as long as the AD plant next door doesn’t cause an unpleasant smell!
When I was a teenager my friends and I attended a regular 13-18s disco night in the town’s leisure centre. The main “dance floor” was simply the sports hall and there were break out quiet rooms off it where they sometimes had other activities going on. It was fairly cheap but included tokens for food and drink, and we loved it. Felt like proper grown ups in a safe environment! People are always saying there’s not enough for teenagers round here, maybe this would be the right place for that. No neighbours to disturb!
is there a walking/running track all the way around it? Could it be a potential location for a parkrun 5k or junior parkrun 2k? These events bring a huge following in regulars an “tourists” who would return every week, use the cafe (always need cake after parkrun!), and most likely stay to use the other facilities once they knew they were there.
All or any of the ideas above would be amazing! My family would be very happy to see it thrive as an outdoor centre.
Pond dipping, bird spotting, wild life spotting, nature trail, water orbes, peddle boats, picnic areas,
Why not use some of the area for a lakside campsite with fishing holidays and other leisure activities like a camping and caravan club site but open to the public.
My grown up children learned numerous sports and skills here but I recall there was eventually a problem with watersports due to contamination (fertilizer run off?) causing algae overload, and courses were cancelled. It may require filtering equipment. Given the isolation of the area maybe DARK SKIES activities are possible.
We’re currently in an activities black hole and with so many new families in the wider area there would surely be MUCH greater demand than previously, including from schools. The site is so close to Fenland, is there a possibility of a joint operation between the Councils? That would make economic sense.
They could build a walk way around the lake, add fishing platforms. advertise the site as a conference centre for small businesses. But then it will need a better bus service than the one provided by Stagecoach.