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School leisure centre and pool plan abandoned
Plans to build a new leisure centre and swimming pool for Horley at Oakwood School have been abandoned.
Reigate and Banstead Borough Council this week announced feasibility studies had shown its preferred site for the multi-million pound project would prove too costly to build on.
The council stated estimates of the work needed, including additional costs to develop a swimming centre to fit the contours of the school's existing sports building, would have added more than £3 million to the original bill.
But Adam de Save, borough councillor for leisure and wellbeing, vowed the council is "still fully committed" to the scheme for Horley.
Coun de Save said: "We are still fully committed to building a new swimming pool and leisure centre in Horley, and are now considering the potential of locating to the old Court Lodge Secondary School site."
The move comes more than 18 months after the council agreed to Oakwood School being the preferred site for a new dual-use leisure centre.
The centre was to be operated in partnership with the school and Surrey County Council.
The aim was to build a new swimming pool and ancillary facilities to benefit Horley residents, the school pupils and the children of adjoining Langshott County Infant School.
But Coun de Save said since then investigations into the flood plain and the widening of the access road had shown the project to be "more problematic, costly and a higher risk than had originally been envisaged."
He said: "Estimates to overcome refurbishment costs of the existing school building, remodelling the building to make it fully accessible and fire safety compliant, as well as additional costs required to develop a bespoke swimming centre design to fit the contours of the existing sports building, would have added £3.06 million to the original build costs."
The problems posed by the land conditions and the access road were only highlighted after the borough council engaged with the county council and the school.
The axing of the plans has left staff and pupils at Oakwood School very disappointed.
Since December 2006, when the borough council earmarked the school in Smallfield Road for the centre and pool, they had been looking forward to seeing work start on an on-site pool to complement their sports hall and gym.
Headteacher Mrs Sue Child said: "It is a great shame that the swimming pool is not coming to Oakwood.
"However, we are now looking to make the most of our fully-equipped gym and sporting facilities to ensure our students and the community have access to high quality fitness experience, in line with our Healthy Schools initiative."
She said: "We will continue to include swimming in the curriculum and look forward to using the new pool when it is built."
The old Court Lodge Secondary School site, the original site allocated for the scheme in the Local Plan, is now the council's preferred site but is owned by Surrey County Council.
The borough and county councils are now in talks over the scheme as well as reviewing other public service provisions needed in the area.
In a statement, the borough council said: "Court Lodge is the only site available within Horley that is large enough and is within public ownership.
"It is owned by Surrey County Council who are themselves undertaking a review of service needs in the area.
"We are working in partnership with them to consider how our pooled resources can deliver the needs of the whole community and delivery of the leisure centre will be one of these needs."
The youth centre currently at the Court Lodge site would have to be relocated before any building could start.
The existing sports hall there is currently used by various community groups.
The borough council has said it wants these groups to retain access to a facility and it will be working with the county council to ensure they are not disadvantaged.
The borough council has also stated it will make sure the Horley Anderson building, which it has said is coming to the end of its build-life, will be maintained as the area's pool and leisure centre through further capital funding, while the new leisure centre is built.
3:41pm Tuesday 22nd July 2008
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CommentPosted by: Del Garland, Horley on 12:24pm Thu 24 Jul 08
How surprising to see so many of the enhancements to Horley that formed part of the Sales pitch for the Master Plan falling apart. Still, at least we have a plethora of half built empty houses to look at.
How surprising to see so many of the enhancements to Horley that formed part of the Sales pitch for the Master Plan falling apart. Still, at least we have a plethora of half built empty houses to look at.
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