It’s unreasonable to say running track project was rushed (From Bucks Free Press)
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It’s unreasonable to say running track project was rushed
12:00am Saturday 4th August 2012 in Your Letters
RE: Last week’s Marlow Free Press which carried criticism from local residents of the proposed running track on land adjacent to at Westhorpe Farm, Little Marlow. They claimed the plan was badly thought out and rushed.
I WOULD like to respond to the article last week about the proposed running track at Little Marlow.
The running track has to be relocated because it enables a new sports and leisure centre at Handy Cross to be constructed alongside the existing Wycombe Sports Centre. This allows the existing centre to remain operating until the new centre is complete. Sport England do not allow a reduction in existing sporting facilities – so relocation is essential.
We were concerned that the council’s original proposal for relocation to Buckmaster Playing Fields (adjacent to John Lewis/M40) would result in a repeat of the existing inferior facility. The Little Marlow site was first presented to the Parish Council in May, followed by a public exhibition in June. To say that the proposal is rushed is most unreasonable.
Wycombe District Council have addressed concerns about access, traffic and lighting, and extensive new areas of tree planting and landscaping will mitigate the loss of a relatively small area of low grade and privately owned (hence inaccessible) land. The site is already well screened and distant from the local houses.
The new site brings benefits for local residents in the form of access to land that was previously out of bounds, with the owners of the land opening up the site. The new site will also provide public parking, a picnic area, a jogging track, toilets and new footpaths, along with improved security of the area.
Obviously some residents simply do not want any change to their locality and are unwilling to accept a community facility that benefits thousands of young people. This merely reflects that one always faces some individuals who are unreasonable when it comes to trying to do things for the greater good.
Kevin Jackson, Chairman Bucks Speed Demons, Chalklands, Bourne End
Comments(2)
DonRockell
says...
6:37pm Thu 9 Aug 12
This is a backward step for sports of all sorts and a fob to the money men and profiteers
Added to that but for 1.5m we would be lucky to get a garden shed as a changing room. That amount of money would hardly cover the cost of the car park let alone a proper and modern running track with up to date facilities.
The facilities we have now far exceed what is being proposed so if we cant better it leave it alone.
gpn01 says...
10:48pm Sun 5 Aug 12
"The running track has to be relocated because it enables a new sports and leisure centre at Handy Cross to be constructed alongside the existing Wycombe Sports Centre. This allows the existing centre to remain operating until the new centre is complete. Sport England do not allow a reduction in existing sporting facilities – so relocation is essential.".
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Does Sport England really have the legal power to enforce this? I always thought it was the Government that enacted legislation, not sports bodies.
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I would question therefore whether the claim that relocation is essential is correct. WDC has acknowledged that they're looking to move the track away from Handy Cross because that allows them to sell the land off. That's where things quickly fail to stack up - The Little Marlow proposal would cost around £1.5M but nowhere is it stated how much selling the land off at Handy Cross would raise.
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I would imagine that a much lower cost and lower risk option would be to rebuild the facilities on the existing site. That means that the existing track could continue to be used "as-is"....which surely the running clubs would be in favour of?