Community Hub Proposal – Racecourse Site

An opportunity has arisen to explore the creation of a community hub at the Racecourse. Greenham Parish Council (GPC) has allocated funding (You can view the original motion by clicking this link) to assess the viability of the proposed building after a motion was presented to it by members of the Association who are also Greenham Parish Councillors.

The building under consideration is the current Marketing Suite at the Racecourse, which David Wilson Homes has offered to gift to Greenham Parish Council, along with some adjoining land for extra parking, on a freehold basis. Exact detail of how much land is still to be determined.

Your residents association is taking this initial step to raise awareness of this opportunity and to consult a broader group of residents - both to gauge interest in having a community hub and to gather early thoughts on what it should deliver if pursued.

marketing suite

The original plans for the Racecourse had what was marked as a Local Centre. However, as of today the developer is not obligated to deliver a community centre. This was marked as approx where the Marketing suite sits today and was part of the pack considered by West Berkshire Council when outline planning permission was granted.

Use this link to see image. The * type symbol indicates approx location

Use this link to see the full document pack used for Approval by West Berkshire Councillors. see page 79 of document for the extract above

What are the pros?
  • Can foster social cohesion and strengthens local identity
  • Can provide accessible spaces for education, recreation, and support services plus other elements
  • Can serve as a hub for civic engagement and inclusive programming
  • Can be tailored to meet diverse community needs
What are the cons?
  • Funding constraints and long-term financial sustainability - A Business Plan must be developed before moving forward
  • There is a risk that usage across different demographic groups will be uneven
  • Potential underutilisation if programming doesn’t reflect local interests - We must take care in deciding the uses of a community centre
  • Requires ongoing community input and adaptive management to remain relevant. A dedicated management team or organisation will be needed to run it

Question Title

1. Do you believe that the Racecourse at Newbury needs a community centre? (Required.)

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