Council committed to Five Acres regeneration despite cost increases due to inflation and global price rises

Forest of Dean District Council provides the following project update regarding the construction of the new leisure, enterprise and education facility at Five Acres in Berry Hill. 

Chief Executive Officer for Forest of Dean District Council, Nigel Brinn said:

“We had originally hoped to be on site at this stage but as with the construction of any large facility such as this, the Council must ensure that the development is affordable and remains financially sustainable going forward.   

“Unfortunately, costs have risen substantially since the Council was successful in its Levelling Up Fund bid, due to rising global costs of materials and the impact of high inflation.    

“We would like to reassure the community that Forest of Dean District Council is committed to working with partners and key stakeholders to deliver a project that provides real and long-lasting benefit to the people of the Forest of Dean, within the budget available to us.” 

Since August 2023, the Council has been working with its appointed Design and Build contractor BAM to refine proposals for the construction of the community and leisure facility at Five Acres. 

The community and other key stakeholders have previously been consulted on designs and the future uses of the site to ensure the facility meets the needs of residents. 

In October 2023, the design team submitted a planning application (ref: P1435/23/FUL) to redevelop the site and planning consent was granted in February 2024. In accordance with the agreed programme, at which time design and build contractor BAM sought updated prices from the market for each element of the construction project. 

The project team is currently reviewing each element of the work and looking at options for how we could reduce costs to remain within budget. 

An update on construction commencement and anticipated completion will be provided once designs have been reviewed and agreed, which can be fully funded with the budget available.  

The site’s development is currently phased with the renovation and conversion of the Speedwell building and the construction of the Sports Hall in Phase 1. Phase 2 is the construction of the 3G pitch and subject to planning approval is likely to start part of the way through Phase 1 construction. 

Full details for the Five Acres site redevelopment, as well as documents including designs, and comments and questions from previous public forum events can be found at the link below: 

https://www.fdean.gov.uk/planning-and-building/regeneration/five-acres-redevelopment-site/ 

Five Acres redevelopment site

On 17 December 2021, the Forest of Dean District Council completed the purchase of the Five Acres site from Homes England for £1 in line with Full Council approval in July 2021.

The ambition is to redevelop the site to create a new Council owned destination leisure facility to add to existing facilities, improve the health and wellbeing of Forest residents and to increase the numbers of visitors coming to the area. The Council will partner with adjacent land owner West Dean Parish Council to explore a comprehensive redevelopment of the site and adjacent playing fields to improve both indoor and outdoor provision. The Council will also partner with Hartpury University and College to create a new outreach facility or Aspiration Centre.

The redevelopment of the Five Acres site is being funded by the Council’s successful Levelling Up Fund bid to Government. 

The Five Acres Project Board has been monitoring progress of the demolition and clearance programme of work that is coming to an end on site.

An information sharing event was held at Five Acres High School in November 2021 and a summary of the feedback received is available below.

Following more recent consultation events with residents held at Berry Hill Primary School and the subsequent report that has been issued by Gloucestershire Rural Community Council, Forest of Dean District Council has amended initial designs for the Five Acres site to reserve space for additional facilities in future redevelopment phases. You can view the report via the link below.

Additionally, members of the public were invited to meet the project architects on 21 November 2022, we have shared the Q&A below, titled Five Acres Community Forum Q&A – Nov 2022.

Further community engagement events will be arranged to seek views as the design work takes shape.

It is envisaged that the site will come forward in phases with the first build phase involving the refurbishment of the retained Speedwell building and the development of a new 4-court sports hall, cycle hub and ancillary car parking. The second phase will include the development of a new 3G artificial pitch, sports pavilion and tennis courts.

The project links into the Allocations Plan and the Berry Hill, Christchurch and Edge End neighbourhood Plan.

Indicative design plans for Five Acres

Following consultation events with residents, businesses and local sports clubs, initial plans for the new Leisure Centre and Community Hub at Five Acres have been amended to include future phases and space for a pool. Indicative design images and site plans can be found below.

PDF Icon Five Acres – Proposed Site Plan – pdf – 1.85 Mb

PDF Icon Five Acres – Indicative Designs – pdf – 1023 Kb

PDF Icon Five Acres – Leisure Centre Proposed Ground Floor – pdf – 1010 Kb

Project documents

PDF Icon Five Acres Briefing – Feb 2021 – pdf – 313 Kb

PDF Icon Five Acres Briefing – June 2021 – pdf – 410 Kb

PDF Icon Revised Governance Structure – 19 Aug 2021 – pdf – 524 Kb

PDF Icon Moving Forward Together at Five Acres – pdf – 1010 Kb

PDF Icon Planning engagement and consultation on indicative design proposals for the Five Acres site – Gloucestershire Rural Community Council (Full Report – August 2022) – pdf – 1.69 Mb

PDF Icon Five Acres Community Forum Q&A – Nov 2022 – pdf – 99 Kb

Local supply chain benefits

The Council is working to maximise opportunities for Forest based suppliers to access contracts of works and services related to Levelling Up funded activity at the Five Acres site. These efforts comply with the Council’s current contract procedure rules. The Council uses the In-tend e-portal to alert suppliers to all new contracts of work above £10,000. To register your business or social enterprise as a potential new supplier please review the e-tendering guide and submit your details.

PDF Icon Publica Group Partners Supplier e-Tendering Guide – pdf – 1.38 Mb

The Five Acres site is the home of the Forest of Dean campus of Gloucestershire College (GlosCol) and comprises the College buildings, the Forest Theatre and a playing field. Close by are Lakers School, Berry Hill Primary School, the Forest of Dean Fitness and Gymnastics Centre and Berry Hill Rugby Club.

GlosCol plans to develop a replacement campus in Cinderford, with the prospect of this happening, a new use has to be found for the Five Acres site.

Five Acres Not For Sale (FANS) is a community group with a vision for the future of the site. A key aim of the campaign is to ensure the site is developed as a facility for the community and visitors, and the land retained for community leisure use.FANS wants to see the site developed as a destination hub for recreation, for use by the community and visitors to the area.

The preferred development option is to see the Five Acres site retained for community leisure use, including a leisure pool, theatre and playing fields. Berry Hill RFC Club would be relocated to the Berry Hill School site, with a second pitch provided on the Five Acres site. The Berry Hill RFC site would be developed for housing.

West Dean Parish Council (WDPC) supports the FANS campaign, and is committed to working with FANS to develop a business plan and funding strategy to support the preferred development option.