Buckingham Park pavilion, Shoreham-by-Sea

We are planning to transform the sports pavilion at Buckingham Park, Shoreham, into a modern facility for the community.

The building has let down the rest of the park for some time, and it also fails to meet the needs of its users. The toilet facilities are of a poor standard and the building itself needs constant maintenance due to its age.

Photo: Buckingham Park sports pavilion in Shoreham - as it currently looks

In late March, we therefore submitted a planning application to replace the existing building and provide new, modern toilets and sports facilities, including changing rooms and a larger cafe.

The planning application follows an engagement period where residents, community groups and key stakeholders of the park provided their initial feedback on our plans to transform the space.

In February, we hosted an in-person consultation event at The Shoreham Centre to present our early design ideas and outline our approach for the project. The proposals were also viewable at the existing pavilion in Buckingham Park, at The Shoreham Centre and on our website. People were invited to provide feedback via email.

Photo: Buckingham Park pavilion - public consultation boards

You can also view the boards below:

• Buckingham Park pavilion - public consultation boards (7,702KB)
• note: due to the complexity of the layout and content of this document it cannot be tested for accessibility issues. If you require assistance with it please contact us using the email address below.

After weeks of reviewing your feedback and implementing it into the designs, we published our application to replace the pavilion. The application can be viewed by visiting our planning portal and entering the reference number AWDM/0407/24.

Feedback on the initial round of public consultation has ended. We would like to thank everyone who has helped shape the revised designs, whether you attended our engagement event or sent us a comment online.

If Adur's planning committee approves the proposals, our next step will be to select a contractor who can bring our plans for the new community facility to life.

We will continue to work in close contact with The Friends of Buckingham Park and the other key stakeholders of the park and cafe as the project progresses.

Photo: Buckingham Park sports pavilion in Shoreham - as it currently looks

A community facility in need of improvement

Buckingham Park is a popular green space which is enjoyed by residents and visitors, including dog walkers, sports clubs, fitness groups and more. However, its pavilion has been letting down the rest of the park in recent years.

Aesthetically, the building hasn't aged well and the space is falling to meet the needs of its many users. It has also become increasingly expensive for us to maintain due to its age.

Whether it be the poor standard of toilets - which don't feature a disabled facility - or the visible wear and tear of the site, a quick walk in and around the pavilion reveals why the space needs improving.

Photo: Inside the mens' toilets at the pavilion

In recent years we have been working with local sports groups to find a suitable solution that benefits all those who use the pavilion while being good value. We think the best option is to completely replace the existing building.

Our plans for the new pavilion include a larger cafe, a sports clubhouse and modern public toilets that include a Changing Places facility - an accessible toilet with specialist access equipment to support people with disabilities and mobility difficulties.

Photo: Buckingham Park sports pavilion in Shoreham - as it currently looks

Storage for sports equipment has also been included in our plans, which will remove the need for some of the shipping containers sited elsewhere in the park.

The new building will be designed to fit in with the rest of the park and have a pitched roof, as well as being vandal-proof to ensure it's well looked after for a long time.

We would like the new pavilion at Buckingham Park to be an accessible and welcoming place where the community can come together to catch up with friends, prepare for sporting events or simply use the toilet at a clean and hygienic public facility.

Image: an artist's impression of how the new pavilion could look

Timescales

This is a rough timeline of events to redevelop the pavilion at Buckingham Park, if the plans are supported by the planning committee:

• Spring 2024 - Adur's planning committee to review our application
• Summer 2024 - contractors to be appointed
• Summer 2024 - demolition of existing building to begin
• Autumn 2024 - construction of new building to begin
• Spring/Summer 2025 - work to be completed

Photo: Buckingham Park sports pavilion in Shoreham - as it currently looks

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