Proposed new Outdoor Activity Centre:
Here are the new plans for the proposed Outdoor Activity Centre. Click on the picture below for a more detailed PDF of the plans.

The proposed Outdoor Activity Centre is required to enable scouting activities to be undertaken in an easily controllable environment where the scouts can be adequately supervised whilst learning the skills that the organisation teaches.

There is a clear need for the new outdoor centre from an operational point of view, as well as providing much needed accommodation for the 1st Byfleet Scouts. This statement clearly demonstrates that the size of the building is essential for the operation of an Outdoor Centre and that all of the facilities proposed are essential to the purpose of the Scouting Association.

Due to the nature of the activities undertaken by the Scouting Group, and the need in the wider area to provide a centre which enables outdoor activities to be undertaken easily, it has been decided that a more rural location, with easy accessibility to large open spaces is the most suitable site for the new Outdoor Centre, rather than an urban site within Byfleet village.

In terms of the need for new accommodation for the 1st Byfleet Scout Group, we currently have 126 people (members, leaders and helpers) that are associated with the group; of these 110 live within the village (87%), with 16 (13%) living outside of the village. The Group is extremely popular as it serves a wide catchment area (which is defined by the M25 on the western and southern sides, the River Wey on the eastern side and the borough boundary with Woking/Elmbridge on the northern side). We currently have a waiting list of 60+ children who want to join the Group at various times from September 2009 until January 2012. All of those on the waiting list are from the village as the group does not accept children from outside of the village onto its waiting list). Very few of these children (18 at present) will get a place within the group if we cannot provide for an outdoor activity centre and find larger premises for our meetings.