A new pavilion at Gadebridge sports pitches could cost the “eye-watering” figure of £1 million, according to a senior Dacorum councillor.

William Allen (LD, Boxmoor), portfolio holder for corporate and commercial services, told a council meeting on Wednesday (July 22) that structural engineers had quoted the £1 million figure for a “like-for-like” replacement of the pavilion that burned down in August last year.

He said: “That does not mean that we have to replace it in the same terms, but that is the figure that has been given for a like-for-like replacement.

“The cost of buildings has increased enormously in recent years … building materials have increased in cost through Covid and since. Yes, it is an eye-watering figure, but I’m sure that the team is working on more cost-effective solutions than that £1 million figure.”

The temporary changing facilities at the Gadebridge sports pitches. Credit: Cllr William Allen.

placeholder image — The temporary changing facilities at the Gadebridge sports pitches. Credit: Cllr William Allen.

Temporary changing rooms were installed at the pitches in time for the current cricket season, and Cllr Allen has previously said the authority’s “firm intention” is to have a permanent pavilion in place for summer 2027.

The temporary facilities were provided at no additional cost to the council after it triggered the business continuity clause in its insurance.

At Wednesday’s meeting, Fiona Guest (Con, Chaulden and Warners End) asked how the council would ensure that the new pavilion would not “compete with the Gadebridge Community Centre and put it at risk”.

In response, Cllr Allen said the new sports pavilion would be developed to make it “more flexible in meeting the needs of the community, so that it isn’t simply there for delivering football and cricket … and could be used by other sporting activities,” such as yoga or outside gyms.

He added: “There’s no intention of changing the use of the facility, simply being more flexible in how it is designed so that it can serve the community in multiple ways.”

Angela Mitchell, Labour councillor for Gadebridge ward, has campaigned for the new pavilion to be a “multipurpose facility” and cater for charitable and community projects on top of providing sporting facilities.

She told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “I have called for it to be made multi-use so that it is not left empty outside of the sporting season to deter vandalism, gain better value for money and to support the needs of the local community.”

Cllr Mitchell said that the £1m redevelopment cost was “a lot higher” than she had expected, but added: “I am aware that there has been a significant increase in building costs over recent times and, while it is important to keep costs as low as possible, it is also important that we don’t lose sight of how vital this facility is to sporting communities throughout Dacorum and do anything to delay the rebuild progress.”