Green Light Given For Chorley Youth Zone

We are delighted to announce that councillors have given the go-ahead for a Youth Zone to be delivered in Chorley.

Councillors gave the green light to deliver the state-of-the-art facilities last week which would mean a proposed site on Railway Street, where The Arts Partnership and Leigh Arms currently stand.

Courtesy of Chorley Guardian: Chorley Coun Peter Wilson and County councillor Matthew Tomlinson outside the Leigh Arms and Station Hotel, that will be replaced with a Chorley’s new Youth Zone.

The exciting plans would see the Youth Zone open seven-days-a-week with more than 10 activities taking place at the same time.

Councillor Alistair Bradley, Leader of Chorley Council, said: “The young people of Chorley are the future of our borough so it’s vitally important they have somewhere that they can use to enjoy their time and help them realise their full potential.

“I’m really excited about what we can achieve with everyone working together and it will provide young people with a healthy environment where they can do things that they currently can’t do because there isn’t a space like this.
“There have been other proposals for a centre in town but this offers just what the town needs – it’s a once in a generation opportunity for the people of the Chorley borough and it will give our young people somewhere they can be proud of.”

The Youth zone would be created in partnership with Chorley Council, the Arts Partnership and Lancashire County Council to make the scheme happen.

Matthew Tomlinson, Lancashire County council’s cabinet member for children, young people and schools, said:
“From speaking to young people in other parts of the county, I know that they really do appreciate having access to high quality facilities on their doorstep. Chorley’s Youth Zone will be a superb facility and will rival the best in the country.
“It’s really important that we provide places where young people can both enjoy themselves, develop their skills and receive information, support and advice from youth workers and other professionals.
“The great thing about youth zones is that all of these services are available under one roof. Tuesday’s decision is a massive step forward and I have no doubt that the Chorley Youth Zone will be as popular as the other youth zones in the county are.”

The Youth Zone would include a sports hall, performing arts area, martial arts space, a base for the Arts Partnership, fitness suite, football pitch and other activity rooms. Young people will also be able to get support and advice on matters such as careers, education and lifestyles.

Gwynne Furlong, Chairman of The Arts Partnership, said: “We’re delighted to be involved in this project.
“We do so much work to give young people the opportunities to go on and make a success of themselves but the current facilities we have limits what can be done.
“This will breathe new life into that part of town and we’re immensely proud to be part of it.”

Kathryn Morley, OnSide Chief Executive said: “This is great news for the young people of Chorley. It is the first time OnSide has been asked to work on a Youth Zone in a smaller town. “Until now we have mainly operated within larger towns and cities so it is hugely exciting to be bringing all the same elements of a Youth Zone together for a compact facility that is perfectly sized to match the population of Chorley and the surrounding areas.”

Work will start on accumulating all the land on the site with a view to gaining planning permission next year and opening in 2016.

For further information, contact Chorley Council Communications Manager Andrew Daniels on 01257 515265.