WOKINGHAM Borough’s popular country park is set to get a new £1.8 million activity centre but some users are not happy with the “hideous” designs.
A new two-storey building at Dinton Pastures is proposed to have state-of-the-art facilities, an activity hall, and a coffee shop with a viewing gallery overlooking the lake.
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Should planning bosses give the proposal the green light, work could start by spring 2020.
Drop-in sessions for the designs are planned for Friday, November 15 at the Dinton Activity Centre, but some users have already been having their say - and it’s not all positive.
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Several commented on the design on social media, with one saying the 3D render of the planned site “made it look like a factory”.
Another wrote: “[It] looks hideous and in no way ‘blending in with the surroundings’, just another concrete monstrosity encroaching on nature and countryside.”
Dinton Pastures bosses responded to this, saying the timber cladding on the first floor and the fibre cement panels on the ground floor would protect against flooding.
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They also said some eco-design features were “on the cards” for the new site.
One dog-walker added: “This design needs rethinking. Include some natural materials. I fear it’s just one more space I can no longer use to walk the dog.”
Despite this, one commenter said the plans were “exciting” and another said they “commend the idea for an activity centre” but added, “the building is an absolute eyesore and will stand out like a sore thumb”.
Users are being invited to add their thoughts on the plans to an upcoming survey next week or learn more about the proposals at the drop-in session, which runs from 5.30pm to 7.30pm.
Cllr Parry Batth, executive member for environment and leisure at Wokingham Borough Council, said: “We know that Dinton Pastures Country Park is well-loved by our residents across the borough, welcoming over 20,500 visitors just this year.
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“That’s why I believe it is so important that we continue to invest in its upkeep, which includes providing a fit for purpose activity centre that can provide enjoyment for our residents and future generations to come.”
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