PLANS are being made to set up a new gymnastics centre for Bracknell but it appears the council is not happy with the designs.

Bracknell Gymnastics Club is hoping to set up in a countryside patch in Easthampstead with a number of different exercise areas featured at the site.

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This would include a team gym space and a floor exercise area on the lower ground floor.

The next floor up is made up of another floor exercise area and a viewing gallery.

Bracknell News:

Overall, the building would come to 2,300 square metres.

A statement from the Club read: “A purpose-built training facility is required for Bracknell Gymnastics Club to allow for gymnasts to train to full potential.

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“It is not proposed that any competitions are held at the Club, however, the correct dimensions for the building will be required to enable gymnasts to train to a competition standard to allow them to compete on a local, national and international level in a safe environment.

Bracknell News:

“Due to the COVID-19 situation, using other premises to practise such as school halls is unavailable due to the risk posed from the spread of COVID19.

“The need for a purpose-built building is therefore even more pressing in order to allow Bracknell Gymnastics Club to practise and train in their own dedicated area.”

Land next to Downshire Golf Complex in Easthamptead has been earmarked as the new home for Bracknell Gymnastics Club, land which is classed as open space in the countryside.

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Notes about pre-application discussions with the council indicate planning chiefs at the authority are already unhappy with the proposal as building the new centre would be “unacceptable”.

This is because the benefits of the new gymnastics hub do not outweigh the impact of the loss of open space in the countryside.

An application for a new sports centre at the same site was refused in 2019 for similar reasons.

Furthermore, the applicants are proposing to cut down trees that will “need to be lost” if the development goes ahead.

More than 50 new car parking spaces would be added and 15 new jobs would be created.

The proposal has the backing of Pinewood Gymnastics Club and British Gymnastics.

But no decision has been made on the designs and Bracknell Forest Council is currently considering the plans.