Published: Saturday, 6th September, 2008 12:00
Battle for youth club continues
By Jonathan Kelly
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AN outdoor pursuits centre’s owner has vowed to resubmit his proposal for a youth club after it was rejected by a planning committee.
Tony Pudner will resubmit plans this week to build an octagonal building at Oakwood to house an expanded youth club, which he hopes to run in two separate sessions, three nights a week.
He was denied planning permission by Bracknell Forest Council’s planning committee in a split vote on Thursday, August 21.
The committee considered that the new building would have a detrimental effect on the rural character of the area and was poorly served by public transport.
As well as rejecting the plans, the committee also said that if it had approved it, then the council would be seeking a £64,000 section 106 payment.
Mr Pudner said: “My understanding is that section 106 money is to support the community, and that’s exactly what we do, so shouldn’t they be paying me £64,000 and not charging it?”
Mr Pudner said he could not afford to make a payment that large as the centre was a charity and offered cut-rate prices. The centre currently runs a youth club one night per week at the Waterloo Road site, on the edge of Bracknell.
Young people pay £2 and have the choice of a low-ropes confidence building course, the more terrifying high-ropes course, mountain boarding (a type of off-road skateboard), football, archery, and even air rifle target practise, as well as many other activities.
He said: “The aim of the centre is to challenge young people physically, socially and spiritually. What we do works. We allow young people to take risks but we control the risk. Taking risks is part of growing up, but we don’t want them taking risks with drugs or sex.”
As well as the activity centre there is also a farm on the site which houses horses, sheep, goats, guinea pigs, rabbits and pigs, where young people have the chance to get up close to animals and learn how to care for them.
Mr Pudner said: “For children who maybe fail or have got behavioural problems this is fantastic as it teaches them to look after animals which leads to taking care of themselves.”
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