Latest information and description of village projects currently under development or consideration.
Acomb Parish Council is in the process of developing various new projects for the benefit of the Community and the County Council.
Firstly, as Trustee, the Parish Council is refurbishing the Playing Field Pavilion. This will create a new usable space for Youth Club, Pop-up Café and small parties, as well as supporting the use of the Playing Field facilities.
Also as Trustee, plans are being developed to create a MUGA (Multi-Use Games Area) on the site of the tennis courts. This will enable 5-a-side football, basketball and netball, as well as tennis.
Finally as Trustee, plans are in place to refurbish the Village Hall, to make it more “inviting” and environmentally friendly. This asset is on a lease which currently expires in 2049 and long term plans for this facility are also being considered.
All of these projects require significant finance and community support will be sought, alongside grant-funding applications.
The Parish Council has set up a Climate Change Sub-Committee to determine and manage environmental projects which are appropriate for Acomb. These will be carried out to support Northumberland County Council’s target of net Zero Carbon Omissions by 2030.
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General: The Village Hall, Playing Fields and Pavilion are run separately by three Charitable Registered Trusts. The sole Trustee of each Trust is Acomb Parish Council. The three Trusts have jointly agreed that the current projects (one per Trust) should be carried out sequentially rather than concurrently. The reason for this is that each will require some financial commitment from the community before significant external grant funding can be sought. The Trustees believe that there would be conflict between the projects if that community support was sought for each project at the same time. The Trustees have agreed that the Pavilion Refurbishment would be first project, followed by the Village Hall Refurbishment and finally the conversion of the Tennis Courts into a MUGA (Multi-Use Games Area).
Playing Field Pavilion: The Refurbishment of the Pavilion is now fully funded, thanks to Sport England, Northumberland County Councillor Trevor Cessford’s Members Fund Allowance, Avant Homes and Acomb Parish Council. After significant delays brought about by the Covid pandemic, the subsequent shortage of contractors and the increase in the cost of building materials, the work is due to commence at the end of August 2022.
Village Hall: This refurbishment is probably the largest of the projects currently underway. Following much community consultation and the appointment of a new architect, current options are about to be presented to the Village Hall Trustee. Once the Trustee has considered the options, they will be submitted for community consultation, before a final option is selected. Consideration is being given to environmental issues as well as traditional building requirements, so such options as Solar Panels and Heat Pumps are being included in discussions. It is currently planned that the final design of the refurbishment will be established early in 2023. Local community fund raising has already commenced, but further input is needed.
MUGA: As Trustee, plans are being developed by the Council to create a MUGA (Multi-Use Games Area) on the site of the tennis courts. This will enable 5-a-side football, basketball and netball, as well as tennis. Under current plans, this will not be floodlit. Fund-raising for this project has not yet started.
Climate Change: The Parish Council has set up a Climate Change Sub-Committee to determine and manage environmental projects which are appropriate for Acomb. These will be carried out to support Northumberland County Council’s target of net Zero Carbon Omissions by 2030.
Following the completion of the Acomb in-town flood defences at the end of last year, the Environment Agency and its contractors have continued to carry out regular maintenance to ensure that Acomb continues to be better protected from flood events.
As part of that ongoing maintenance, residents will see our contractor ESH onsite on Friday 25 November laying sandbags on a small section of embankment close to the bridge parapet on Morrison Terrace. This is to ensure that extra precautionary measures are taken over the winter months, with a fixed permanent measure in that section being delivered in the new year.
Site work is anticipated for a very short time with the least disruption possible to the local community. The area will be fenced off, with no heavy plant equipment required and site vehicles will be parked on the verge. There will be no restrictions to use of the public highway.
We’d like to thank the local community for their continued support. The Acomb Natural Flood Management project, which will work to enhance the in-town works, continues to progress, with an anticipated completion date of March 2023. These works are part of the Environment Agency’s ongoing commitment to delivering flood protection for Acomb now and in the future.
Christmas is coming… watch out locally for posters about our events in the village