The Barton-Le-Clay Community Website

I am led to believe that the proposed BMX track that was to be built at the back of the houses on Sharpenhoe Road has thankfully been rejected.

I now hear that the council has deemed fit too inflict this development on Old Road's residents!

Yes, the ground by the football club was rejected by the parish council so plans are under way to to build it on the spare cemetery field at the southern end of old road.

The Parish Council started the ball rolling in January, as far as I know Groundwork Luton & Bedfordshire (www.eastofengland.groundwork.org.uk/luton--bedfordshire.aspx) have been given the job of drawing up the plans to submit for planning approval by Central Beds CC.

If they do get planning permission, I hope a condition is that they sort out parking at Arnold Rec and this BMX park as with the walkers going up the springs, the extra BMX'ers and those using the recreation ground both Old Road and Church Road are already becoming congested with cars dumped by the roadside.

This is great news I just hope that the park gets the go ahead , as back in the day(as they say) there used to be a skateboard ramp around the back of the old school (now the Indian).
This was a long time ago I know but the village kids loved it.
The idea of a skate park/ bmx park in the village would be great and I'm sure having been a kid in the village bored with nothing to do apart from walk the streets , I'm sure that the bmxers and skaters in the village would love it.
The only problem is that every time it gets to planning somebody complains and it gets rejected. Let's hope it doesn't this time , as i know I would love to think that my kids would have somewhere to go and not walk around the streets causing trouble.

Am I right in believing that Flitwick has a new skate /bmx park ?

Surely couldnt Barton parish council talk to Flitwick council and use the old set ? Saving parish council money, maybe even asking parents in the village to spare time to help with the building of said park ???.

Just an idea but hey 

Personally I guess I'm a little unsure about this, I appreciate the kids need something to keep them occupied but I have concerns over placing this right next too a nature reserve.....

I also agree that if it is to go ahead then there must be some sort of concession to cope with the added vehicular traffic it will generate.

I have been in the village for 40+ years and can appreciate that to a large extent for the children we are isolated from the facilities in the larger villages and towns around us so there must be some provision here, that said I don't have kids so I'm not exactly the person to comment on what!

I'm not 100% sure but the skate park at Flitwick was replaced as it was becoming unsafe.

There are some great mountain bike parks in our area (Woburn Sands and Haynes to name 2) but these are rural and not strictly 'BMX' tracks and they work well however they cater for adults mainly, I have a fear that this will be youth orientated and unsupervised!

I pass near the BMX track in Milton Keynes on my way too work (and when I go to the MX track just a bit further on down the road) and it has always looked ok, no damage or vandalism (which is rare in MK!) so I don't think it will be an eyesore as some seam to think, my only gripe would be parking and making sure the users stay on the bmx park and not disappear off in to the springs.. as this I think is a more valuable resource for the village than the bmx track.

Another question I have too ask is what sort of numbers are they expecting to use it?....

lol yes, I should say (and give credit too) MK BMX Racing Club from where the link picture was taken...

From looking through the MK BMX website it seams to have been a lasting lasting track and group

Anybody know why the football club site was rejected?

You'll need some one from the parish council to explain the politics of why the football club site was rejected.

I think its weird that we get new pavilion on the new sports field and they then decide to build it elsewhere, with new scout hut and all that space on the playing field the only logical place to me is the new playing field!... build it far enough back the noise from the the bypass traffic will be louder than any noise the kids can make, its close to facilities and if it is a success then it could be expanded easily.



Logic says loose one of the many football pitches as above, build a small bmx/mountain bike pump track first, as its cheap to build and will attract both adults and kids... there is even free plans on the internet!!!
www.leelikesbikes.com/build-your-own-pump-track.html

Then if this is successful there could be a new bigger circuit built around it in years to come.... making a first class facility in our village.

I have to wonder what's going with the parish council and the football club, the car park site was rejected as it would leave the football club short of parking which makes sense but then I'm told the football club wont let the car park be used for events on the playing field (which is predominantly football!!) and now there's a rumour the parish council are going to foot the bill to resurface the car park for the football club! Surly if this community property then the community should have access or if its not then its the responsibility of the football club to pay for its own car park?