4/7/07

KEEPING SPORT IN BOURNEMOUTH

John Butterfill and Tobias Ellwood, are continuing to battle to keep sport in their constituencies.  They have registered their formal objections against the proposal to build 68 flats on the David Lloyd Club site at 7 Knole Road.  They have told the Chief Planning Officer at Bournemouth Borough Council that they believe that the proposed change of use from an existing sporting facility would be in breach of the Council’s obligations under Planning Policy Guidance 17, Planning for Open Space, Sport and Recreation 2002, and its companion document, Assessment of Needs and Opportunities, together with the Council’s commitments under Policy Number 7.17.

They stated that they believed the proposal would constitute a gross over-development of the site and that there would not be sufficient amenity land to provide a reasonable garden area for use by residents. 

John and Tobias have also taken the matter up with the Minister for Sport since the existing Club provides the only facility in the Borough for training in squash and badminton.  In fact, four of its badminton playing members are prospective U.K. representatives in this country’s team for the 2012 Olympics.

The two MPs feel so strongly about the proposal that they have written to the new Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Hazel Blears, asking if she will call the application in since they believe that it is of sufficient national importance for her to be asked to make a policy decision in relation to a loss of sporting facilities on this scale.  They feel that the matter can only be debated adequately through the means of a public inquiry.