17/07/08

DAVID LLOYD CENTRE

Sir John Butterfill and Tobias Ellwood had a meeting today with the Minister for Sport, Gerry Sutcliffe, to ask him if he would intervene to support the calling in of the planning application recently made by developers.  They asked the Minister to formally write to Baroness Andrews, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department of Communities and Local Government.  Sir John has already written to Baroness Andrews on behalf of himself and Tobias Ellwood, asking if she would now call in the application given that it has been recommended for approval by Officers of the Bournemouth Borough Council.

Sir John and Tobias feel that the offer by the developer to provide £180,000 for three new badminton courts at Portchester School hardly compensates for the loss of badminton courts, five squash courts, a gymnasium and a swimming pool at the David Lloyd Centre and are strongly of the opinion that this proposal should be called in for a public inquiry.