Original Article published on Chippenham RFC Website
“We’ve now submitted our Planning Application for a new access from the A350 and URGENTLY need YOUR SUPPORT.
Dear Member,
Proposed new access into CRFC’s grounds – Please help your Club!
I am writing to update you on the Club’s proposal to create a new access into the Club’s grounds from the A350 carriageway and to ask for your help to enable your Club to achieve this vital improvement to our facility.
As outlined in my recent email, the Club considers that our current access via a single track, unlit road, is unsuitable for a Club of our size and a new access would provide significant safety, traffic, and environmental improvements for visitors to the Club and our local community. Following a comprehensive programme of consultation with members, residents and other interested parties, the Club has now submitted a formal planning application to Wiltshire Council for a new access.
Although we are hopeful that our planning application will be successful, I must stress that planning approval for our access is not guaranteed.
YOUR VIEWS MATTER
It is vitally important that we provide evidence of the strong local support for our proposal and so I urge all members to take a few minutes to register your support. Members, as well as your local family and friends, can register support on the Wilts Council planning portal, which can be accessed here: https://development.wiltshire.gov.uk/pr/s/
Please note that when searching for our application you will need to use the reference number PL/2023/02941
Once at the application page, simply click on the Comments tab and then select Support from the drop-down Response menu. Members may also wish to consider adding a supportive comment from the list below. We believe that a new access to Chippenham RFC would:
• Improve highway safety by reducing traffic on unsuitable roads
• Reduce vehicle/cycle/pedestrian conflict on local roads
• Create a safer access for all users into an important local sporting facility
• Increase sustainability by reducing journey times and distance to the Club
• Reduce vehicular carbon emissions and levels of air pollution
Please act now to help your Club!
The A350 dualling scheme is genuinely a now or never opportunity for the Club to create a safer and much improved access to our facility. Once the A350 dualling work is complete, it is extremely unlikely that any future access proposal would be considered. Please take a couple of minutes to help your Club by registering your support for our proposal on the Wiltshire Council planning portal and ask your friends, neighbours and family who live locally to do the same.
Further detail on the application, which will be updated from time to time, can be found in the Information section of our website at,
https://www.pitchero.com/clubs/chippenham/a/a350-access-to-crfc-65721.html
Kind regards,
Ian Banister
Chairman
Chippenham RFC
chairman@chippenhamrfc.co.uk”
