Wilsden Neighbourhood Plan 2020-2038

6 COMMUNITY FACILITIES

6.0.1 Community facilities such as churches, pubs, sports and social clubs, educational facilities and health centres are key to healthy and sustainable communities. Their provision can also reduce the need to travel and provides opportunities for social interaction. The proven health and community benefits of sport mean that the activities of associated clubs and facilities should generally be supported and encouraged.

6.1 Important Community Facilities

6.1.1 Wilsden has a good range of community facilities including the Village Hall, public houses, primary school, pharmacy and medical centre as well as three active churches, two worshipping in their own buildings. These meet many of the day-to-day needs of the community, and act as a hub and focus of community life.

6.1.2 Some of these facilities such as the medical centre and the primary school are under pressure. When Wilsden Post Office closed in 2015 there was no local business willing to operate a post office. In response to strong community demand a community interest company was established and this now runs a Community Post Office. With a growing and ageing population and restricted public transport, access to such locally based services will become increasingly important.

6.1.3 Consultation shows that these are highly valued and prized by the local community. They are a key ingredient in the generally high quality of life in the Parish and its strong sense of community and identity. The community wishes to see these community facilities protected and, wherever possible, enhanced.

Wilsden Village Hall

6.1.4 Wilsden Village Hall was built as a result of extensive community fund raising and opened in 1976. It is a registered charity and incorporates a youth club, a community run library, a squash club and the parish council offices. The Village Hall is an important community hub in addition to hosting the Youth Club. The hall is also the base for a number of active groups such as senior citizens, a luncheon club, indoor bowls, dance classes and the scouts and guides. A library was incorporated as part of the original design of the Village Hall. In 2011, when CBMDC cut funding, it became a community run library. Provision of books is still from CBMDC and lending is integrated into their central system but staffing is by volunteers.

Wilsden Village Hall

Community Sport and Play Facilities

6.1.5 There are a number of sports clubs wholly based in the Village including a cricket club, a crown green bowling club and a squash club. There are also three riding stables and a number of private livery stables. In addition, there are clubs such Wilsden Juniors AFC who use the football pitches in Harden, Thornton and Keighley with their main base in Harden. There are also clubs such as Wilsden Badminton Club who go outside the Village to find suitable facilities.

6.1.6 Wilsden Cricket Club has played at its current ground since 1947 and was established in 1874. The club has a 15 year lease on their ground and the adjacent football field at Shay Gate, Haworth Road and recently built a new pavilion with support from Sport England. The club has two all age men's teams and five junior teams covering an age range from 9 to 17 years of mixed teams of boys and girls.

6.1.7 Royd House Bowling Club play at a parish council maintained green in Royd House Park. They are an active club with 6 teams and the green is used 5 days per week for matches, plus social bowling, during the season. In common with many bowling clubs in the district, players often play in a number of different clubs.

6.1.8 Wilsden Squash Club has two courts along with a bar area in a facility which adjoins and is owned by the Village Hall. In addition to squash, racket ball is also played.

6.1.9 Wilsden Juniors AFC, which has its main base in Harden, has indicated that they would like to establish an integrated football facility that will enable all their teams to operate from one site. This would involve one grass pitch and one pitch with a synthetic surface. In addition, this would incorporate changing rooms, a clubhouse and car park.

6.1.10 In addition to the above sports facilities there is also a Recreation Ground that was given to the Village of Wilsden in 1928 as a site for playing fields. It is not currently used for organised sports but is a widely used open space in the Village. A children's play area is sited on Royd House Park, adjacent to Townfield along with a floodlit, fenced multi use games area suitable for football and basketball. In common with similar clubs in the area, membership of all these clubs is not exclusively drawn from people living within Wilsden.

Medical Facilities

6.1.11 The Wilsden Health Centre is the main facility for the Wilsden Medical Practice and, along with a smaller facility in Cullingworth, serves the villages of Wilsden, Harden, Cullingworth and part of Denholme. The practice takes an integrated approach to GP provision in all the villages with Wilsden generally providing the more specialised services. With an ageing population demand will increase. When considering the need for additional medical services within the practice the need in the coming years is likely to be best supplied by additional facilities in Denholme and Harden, which would reduce the pressure on Wilsden. The location of Wilsden Medical Practice and the associated pharmacy is not easily accessed by public transport. People who do not have access to private transport, especially if they have mobility difficulties, can find it difficult to reach the Health Centre by foot.

Allotments

6.1.12 There is one allotment site in Wilsden, which is owned by Wilsden Parish Council. The plot is managed by Wilsden Gardening Association under lease from the Parish Council.

Wilsden Community Company CIC

6.1.13 This community interest company was established to run a Community Post Office at the site of the former post office 112 Main Street, Wilsden. This property was originally listed as an Asset of Community Value. The company, which is owned by the residents of Wilsden, has been structured such that it is able to own other community businesses and operate in other areas that will benefit the community.

6.2 Assets of Community Value

6.2.1 The Localism Act 2011 introduced the right for a parish council and other voluntary and community organisation to nominate land or property for listing as an 'Asset of Community Value'. This listing is for a period of five years.

6.2.2 An asset can be listed as such if its principal use furthers their communities' social well-being or social interests and is likely to do so in the future. If a listed asset then comes to be sold, a moratorium on the sale of up to six months may be invoked. This provides the local community with a better chance to raise finance, develop a business plan and to make a bid to buy the asset on the open market, in order to save the asset that they value. However, it should be noted that the seller does not have to sell to the local community.

6.2.3 A number of assets, especially those detailed in W/CF1 that are not in public or community ownership have already been designated as Assets of Value. Other assets of special importance to the well-being of the Parish and to which local people have a strong affinity and wish to protect may come forward over the lifetime of the Plan.

Figure 11 – Community Facilities