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Sports centre decision is turning point for Arsenal
• MANY readers will be holding their breath on Monday evening while Islington Council’s east area planning committee decides the fate of the Arsenal sports centre.
To most people, a decision in favour of the sports centre is a “no-brainer”, but sadly the decision cannot be taken lightly. The sports centre is a small, yet extremely significant component in a much larger redevelopment scheme, and whichever decision each councillor takes they will face a mixture of praise and criticism from current and future voters. Clearly, it will be impossible to please everybody, either in the short or long term, so they must settle for a compromise and forget any idealism.
If the councillors approve the plans then they will alienate nearby residents, but they will at least catalyse a dormant construction industry and give hope to others. However, if they reject the plans then they will alienate people across the whole borough, turn hope into despair and negate all the hard work and expense that went into reworking the previous plans.
The committee comprises councillors from three parties but in the light of their manifestos I am sure they will vote in favour of the plans even if they have reservations about certain aspects. The Labour and Green parties have campaigned openly for the sports centre. The Lib Dems have boasted regularly about their regeneration programmes and nobody is denying that affordable housing is a priority.
The Lib Dems have been criticised in the past for yielding to Arsenal, but this time they need not fear such criticism, because through the year-long delay to this meeting they have shown they were prepared, after all, to confront Arsenal and help to bend the plans into a more acceptable shape.
This will be no ordinary Monday. It could be a turning point not only for Arsenal’s engagement with the community but also for the political landscape of Islington.
IAN SHACKLOCK
Monsell Road, N4
• RESIDENTS living around the Sobell Centre are very concerned that Arsenal FC is attempting to evade its responsibilities in relation to coach parking on match days.
At a corporate services committee meeting on March 9, 2006, a council resolution was passed that stated: “That in the context of any further amendment plans for the development of the Queensland Road site, the council’s view is that it would expect the inclusion of permanent provision for 40 coach parking spaces within that development.”
The current arrangements – to park some coaches at the Sobell Centre – which was also decided at the same meeting, were always considered to be temporary. Until now the Sobell Centre is used 12 times a year. If the plans go ahead, this will increase to 30 times a year. To date, the number of coaches parking in the Sobell has varied. If the plans are approved then this will be the primary site and will mean 18 coaches every home game.
Since the coaches have been temporarily permitted to park at the Sobell, residents have suffered from noise, vibration and fumes from engines being left on during matches, in some cases directly adjacent to house walls.
Since the Sobell Centre will definitely be redeveloped (earmarked for 2010), this current proposal for coach parking cannot therefore be permanent and consequently represents another short-term fix. When the Sobell is redeveloped, where will the coaches go then?
Arsenal’s new development plans for Queensland Road currently exclude any coach parking in spite of the council resolution.
The Queensland Road coach parking resolution represents the permanent and acceptable solution. There are a significant number of residents who will push for the Queensland Road solution. If Arsenal wishes to change that, then it must find an equally permanent and acceptable alternative. No solution, no planning permission.
Any other residents who wish to share their view with the council should come along to the east area planning committee meeting at The Crescent Suite, Highbury Crescent Rooms, 70 Ronalds Road, Highbury, at 7.30pm on Monday.
FIVE SOBELL CENTRE RESIDENTS
Names and addresses supplied
• YOU reported on the planning inquiry into Islington Council’s refusal to allow a change of use to provide nine extra flats at Carronade Court (Arsenal’s promises ‘kicked into touch’, December 19).
The key fact is that a larger community health facility is being provided as part of the development in Hornsey Street, just around the corner from Carronade Court.
Over the whole Arsenal regeneration area, the Primary Care Trust has decided it does not require as much space as it originally thought and that is the reason for the need to re-think the use of the Carronade Court space.
In terms of overall community provision, readers will already be aware that Arsenal has included a new sports centre in Queensland Road which will be available for community use in the same way as the old JVC centre used to be. This will be available for Carronade Court residents.
The nine new flats will not be “luxury”, as claimed by Councillor Paul Smith, but will be exactly the same as the existing flats. The proposal to create these new flats was recommended for approval by Islington Council’s planning officers. Last week the planning inspector agreed with this and allowed the appeal. At a time of acknowledged housing need, it makes sense to use the Carronade Court space for new homes rather than leave it vacant. It is just a pity it has taken so long to get permission for these nine flats.
ROGER HEPHER
Director, Savills
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