A good set of plans by themselves are no guarantee of a successful planning application, but the Club is very happy with the plans that were approved by Hart District Council in June 2008.
In parallel with developing the club house scheme, the Club has worked to strengthen its management and activities. This has resulted in the award of Canoe England "Top Club" status and Sport England's "ClubMark". The Club has also registered with HM Customs and Revenue as a "Community Amateur Sports Club". These are all seen to contribute to the prospects of turning the plans for a club house into reality.
The prospect of the club house at Colt Hill is great news for the Club and for other paddlers in North Hampshire, where the Basingstoke Canal is the only waterway where access is permitted. Facilities including changing rooms, showers and WCs would improve the experience of paddlesport for anyone. For the Club's enthusiastic team of coaches a boat store will mean more time using their skills on the water and less on the logistics of arranging transportation of canoes and kayaks to the Canal. So now the Club's Colt Hill Development Team has the challenge of delivering the club house.
Over the two years it took to reach submission of a planning application, the Club undertook an extensive consultation exercise with interested parties. There have been meetings with other potential users, a presentation to the parish council, liaison with the Basingstoke Canal Authority and contact with Natural England, the Environment Agency and the local civic society. It is impossible to quantify the value of these consultations; however, the Club believes that the absence of any objections from planning consultees and support from Odiham Parish Council and from the Odiham Society were important in gaining planning permission.
Number: 08/00793/FUL
Description: Change of land from agricultural use to leisure. Erection of single storey Canoe Club clubhouse with associated car parking, access and landscape improvements.
Location: Land At London Road Odiham Hook Hampshire
