Boxing club delivers knock-out blow in planning bout

A Devon boxing club has delivered a knock-out blow in a multi-year planning wrangle as part of efforts to build itself a new headquarters.

Exmouth Amateur Boxing Club put forward plans for a new gym and community sport building at Warren View Sports Ground at the town’s Halsdon Avenue, but faced significant opposition from residents.
Around 50 members of the public packed out the planning committee meeting at East Devon District Council this week that deliberated the proposal.
A total of 263 letters had been written to the council about the plans, with 181 objecting.
Speakers opposed to the scheme highlighted the plight of elderly and vulnerable residents in the area who live in council-owned housing there, as well as fears of further parking chaos and noise.
But proponents emphasised efforts to mitigate the impacts of the scheme on nearby residents, and highlighted that the club would be a genuine community asset, providing the town’s young people with a safe and structured environment.
The three councillors who represent the Halsdon ward all objected to the scheme, with Councillor Dan Wilson stressing that the council’s sheltered accommodation in the area was supposed to be “peaceful and tranquil, and imposing a large, bright traffic-filled entity on them is cruel”.
But after a debate that went the proverbial full 12 rounds, the planning committee voted 10-2 in favour of approving the plans.
Rebecca Hadley spoke on behalf of an elderly resident, Sue Dawson, stating that vulnerable people next to the site would be impacted, yet claimed there had been “no assessment of this”.
“There will be demonstrable harm to the residents in the sheltered social housing,” she said.
“We feel this plan is in the wrong area, a residential area is not right for a major venue for sports and leisure events, and nobody will get any respite from the traffic.”
And Mark Hansford said he was not debating the merits of the facility itself, but rather its location.
“This development is in a sensitive location, and it is not a proposal for a small local boxing club; you could fit 10 of the clubs existing site into this one, and its current 5 hours of opening a week would be 95 hours a week in their new site,” he said.
Resident Jennie Dunn also stressed that the amphitheatre shape of Warren View Sports Ground meant all noises were readily amplified.
“Everyone can hear the slightest of noises,” she said.
“It’s noisy when there are football matches on, but everyone leaves and it goes quiet, but gyms usually have loud music and ventilation systems, and it will be mere metres from residents’ homes.”
But Robert Toome MBE, the president of the Exmouth Amateur Boxing Club, said the site wasn’t just a building, but was an investment in the town’s young people.
“We’re offering structure and opportunity, and a positive direction, especially for boys and girls that need it in this day and age,” he said. 
“Boxing builds mental strength, confidence, self-control and respect, values I believe we need to nurture in communities today.
“The site will be a safe and welcoming place for young people where they will be able to find mentorship, friendship and a sense of belonging that could be the difference between them taking a positive path, or succumbing to less productive or disruptive influences.”
Richard Powers, the club and community manager for England Boxing also addressed the committee, emphasising that boxing changes lives, and that the club’s new home could allow it to not only develop more boxing talent, but engage the wider community too, with outreach to youth members, women, girls and those with disabilities.
Keegan Ferreday, the agent for the scheme, added that the club, now at New North Road, was currently turning away members and that the new site was a “great opportunity”.
“Some say alternative sites are more appropriate but we disagree and cannot think of a better location,” he said.
“It’s an existing sports site and this will be a high-quality facility. The application has been running for over three years and the charity has invested significant time and money to address every comment from East Devon District Council and other consultees.”
The new club proposed 31 parking spaces with the development, which planning officers felt was an improvement on the current situation, where the existing hardstanding has no delineated spaces.
Warren View Sports Ground already hosts football clubs, and some residents feared the parking would be insufficient if the boxing gym was busy on a match day.
Speaking after the decision, Mr Toome said the outcome was “fantastic news”, and stressed that the club’s larger events would still be held at Ocean on Queen’s Drive, and so would not create huge crowds at its new venue.