Budleigh’s new sports activity wall ready for action

Versatile £15,000 sports wall will be an asset to town thanks to S106 contributions from property developers building in Budleigh

In a joint project run between Budleigh Salterton Town Council and East Devon District Council, a brand new £15,000 sports activity wall is now in place in the town.

Over 300 people in Budleigh Salterton originally had their say on how to spend money on outdoor sports in the town a couple of years ago – their priorities were for a new outdoor gym and foot/cycle path improvements for The Green. Both of these have happened now.

Next on Budleigh residents' priority list was a sports activity wall near the football club including things like a football goal and basketball or netball net. It’s next to Budleigh Salterton Football Club on Greenway Lane, is open to the whole community and free for anyone to use.

The funding for these projects (Section 106 money) is available as a result of a number of housing developments in Budleigh Salterton. Section 106 money is collected from developers and spent by East Devon District Council, which opts to involve the community in how it allocates funds.

Councillor Tom Wright, East Devon District Council’s portfolio holder for the environment and ward member for Budleigh Salterton, said: “Thank you to all the Budleigh residents that took part in putting forward their ideas for how the money should be spent, and then came out to vote for the projects they thought should be funded. This sports activity wall will further improve free things to do for people in Budleigh Salterton. Activities for Budleigh’s young people are high on my agenda, having started and still running Budleigh Community Youth club. Thanks also to Budleigh Salterton Football Club for working with the contractor regarding access to the site.

“Local young people were given the option of having a full games area rather than a one sided sports activity wall, but said they wanted some of the available funding put by to improve the skate park. Improvements to the skate park will be looked at as more funds become available.”  

Mayor of Budleigh Salterton Town Council, Councillor Alan Dent, said: “Thanks to funds from local housing developments and considerable input from the young people of Budleigh the multi-use games wall was ‘officially’ opened on Thursday 2 November. The project controlled by the then town mayor Councillor Chris Kitson has already been a popular addition to the children’s play and sports facilities next to the Budleigh Salterton Football Club.

“At the opening the combined efforts of the town council the football club, the contractors and East Devon District Council officers was duly acknowledged and this versatile sports wall will be an asset for local children for years to come.”