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Stockport School
of Gymnastics
Progress
Planning and Highways Committee refuse the application . Essentially the end of the road for this type of application, i.e. an industrial unit. We will have to look elsewhere.
May 2004
Area Committee approve the application....Yes! Now on to the Planning and Highways committee on 9th June.
May 20th, 18.00 hours at the Town Hall. The Area Planning Committee get to look and discuss our application. Mass support expected! It will be decided on the night. Keep your fingers crossed.
Application has now received alot of attention and has been called up by the committee. This is excellent news as it now means that we can present our case in person to the councillors who will decide whether we can go ahead or not.
April 2004
Letter writing started. Application acknowledged and is being dealt with by the planners under delegated powers. Application submitted.
March 2004
The application must be resubmitted before 7th April.
Starting to fill the planning application forms in.
Section written on cycling and pedestrian access.
Recontacted the local councillors. Still keen to help.
Section written on employment potential, citing the experiences on Basingstoke Gym Club.
Sequential search section written. Looks very convincing.
Newby Rd site still unlet. Owner happy for us to reapply for planning permission.
February 2004
Sequential search completed with no new available premises found. Possible premises on Commercial Rd in Hazel Grove but not available for 6 months.
Footpath access solved, will cost a couple of thousand to bring up to the necessary standards.
Closed the loop on the possibility of using a local school as a shared facility.
New help available from Hartford Gym Club as they have just recently overturned a similar decision.
January 2004
Working with Stockport Economic Development to find a suitable premises.
Appeal procedure started
The application did not get to committee and was refused by the planning department on the grounds that this was trying to put a leisure facility into an employment area. Very disappointing.
Area planning Committee is mid month. Fingers crossed.
December 2003
Good meeting with British Gymnastics to progress our Gym Mark application
Horror of VAT discovered by discussions with Accountants
Formal appointment of Solicitors and start of lease negotiations
Letter of support from Stockport Sports Council
Start of process to turn the Club into a limited company
Stockport Council start consultation process
November 2003
Stockport Council start to review Planning Application
Stockport School of Gymnastics awarded Community Amateur Sports Club Status
Planning Application submitted
Application to Inland Revenue to become a Community Amateur Sports Club submitted
Formal offer to the building owner submitted
October 2003
Planning Application Forms being filled in
Traffic Survey Completed
Initial Discussions with Solicitors
Case being beefed up with demographics study
Initial Layouts produced, subject of much discussion!
September 2003
The second issue of the support document issued, updated to include the Personal Planning information, statements on employment and sequential testing to show that only this premises is suitable in our area.
Document cautiously received by the Planning Dept; maybe we have a case?
August 2003
Meeting with British Gymnastics to try and move the process on. We discover that in other locations it has been possible to defeat Planning Policy by use of a clause called Personal Planning Permission.
Contact made with Basingstoke Gym Club who have used this route.
July 2003
Tour of the likely areas completed, search completed on the SMBC data base and a premises on the Newby Rd identified as being suitable.
Change of use planning seems to be the main issue, contact with the Planning Dept would indicate that we are chasing a lost cause.
The first revision of the document produced to support our planning application was sent to the Planning Dept, Sports Development, Stockport Sports Council and local Councillors.
Started to look into becoming a Community Sports Club to reduce rates, becoming a Gym Mark club, getting the Development Plan up to date and producing a Business Plan.
June 2003
Chance discovery that Rollergrove was up for sale so a visit was arranged to see if this could be a new venue for the Club. The premises were not suitable however the seeds were sown and the push was on to find a premises that could become our home.