Community groups in Whitchurch may have a new place to store their equipment in the town.

At Whitchurch Town Council’s full council meeting, held virtually on Thursday, September 17, councillors discussed plans to convert an area of land near Jubilee Park into an area for community use, with the installation of shipping containers.

The plot of land was previously used by contractors when working on the park and at the town council’s Parks and Public Realm Committee meeting on Thursday, September 3, it suggested that this land could be used to install two shipping containers to provide additional storage for not for profit community groups..

With councillors accepting this proposal, the funding of the project was deferred to the budget committee, although councillor Christian Gregory-Peak suggested he may be able to acquire a third container.

Also discussed was potential for part of a building on the site to be used by community group Men in Sheds.

Whitchurch Men in Sheds is a charity formed to provide a venue where isolated men and women can meet and chat while also making things for themselves and the community.

Whitchurch Men in Sheds secretary, Geoff Crowther-Smith,backed the proposal.

“Men in Sheds are delighted that we have potentially found a new venue. I must praise the efforts of our mayor, cllr Bev Duffy, who has worked very hard to make it happen. The new venue does require work but we now have a focus.”