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Campaigners pictured outside the Sobell centre with staff member Bob Overton: Gordon Kerr, Katie Dawson with son Abel, 3, James Dunnett, London Assembly member Jennie Jones, and Andrew Myer |
BATTLE WON TO KEEP SPORT CENTRE OPEN
Sobell and Finsbury Leisure centres handed demolition reprieve
DELIGHTED campaigners are celebrating after Islington Council announced that the flagship Sobell Sports Centre will not be pulled down – at least for the foreseeable future.
A controversial £46million scheme to bulldoze the Finsbury Park centre and rebuild it along with up to 240 new homes has been put on hold until the economy improves.
Nine months after announcing the ambitious project – days before the biggest stock market collapse since the Wall Street crash – council chiefs have postponed the proposals until developers are willing to pay more for the land.
A report to the council’s executive, set to be heard next Thursday, also recommends that Finsbury Leisure Centre, which has also been earmarked for demolition and rebuilding, be given a stay of execution. It also reveals that £16.4m will be spent on refurbishing the nearby Grade II-listed Ironmonger Row Baths.
Campaigners are convinced, however, that the council’s double demolition whammy is being quietly dropped because it proved so unpopular with many people.
At the same time a highly criticised £50,000 public consultation on the Sobell centre – which came up with four almost identical schemes, all calling for demolition and new homes – is expected to be shelved.
Instead of demolition the council will refurbish the 36 year old centre, which has a leaking roof and is in need of repair. A new ice rink will also be built.
Future demolition plans could be thwarted by new Government legislation expected later this year in the wake of the Sobell saga. It aims to protect Britain’s sports facilities by insisting that independent experts assess any scheme which involves demolition.
The first salvo against the scheme came early last year from Islington architect conservationist James Dunnett who, writing in this paper, pointed out that a simpler and cheaper solution would be to refurbish.
The Green Party - led by Green Cllr Katie Dawson – then launched a borough wide campaign against demolition with a petition.
Gordon Kerr, a Director of England Squash, and Sobell Customer representative Barry Hill, joined forces to turn the campaign into a nationwide concern.
They enlisted support from London Mayor Boris Johnson and Islington North MP Jeremy Corbyn and London Assembly Green Jennie Jones.
Mr Kerr said he had no doubt that the council’s change of mind was because of the huge amount of public pressure against the scheme. “Most people, I believe, wanted refurbishment - a choice they were not given in the sole skewed consultation exercise that left so many feeling angry and patronised.”
Green Cllr Katie Dawson said the scheme was a “complete shambles” from start to finish. “I hope now they will do the necessary repairs and end this terrible uncertainty for users and staff.”
Finsbury Park ward Labour Cllr Phil Kelly said he would never rule out demolition. “We need to look at the scheme again and this time get views from all. The existing building is very old fashioned and there is a lot of wasted space. In the future people might want a brand new building with modern facilities. I have no love for the current building.”
The centre, with more than 500,000 users, was built in 1973 and is dominated by 16 badminton courts, squash courts, indoor football, trampoline, ice rink and a climbing wall.
It was donated by the businessman philanthropist the late Sir Michael Sobell and designed by Richard Seifert.
Executive member for leisure Lib Dem Cllr Ruth Polling told the Tribune that collectively developers were no longer taking “risks” on major schemes and none were willing to offer the council a decent price.
She said: “This is happening because we had reached the stage where we could go out for tender. Once you go to the contractors there is no turning back – so we had to make a decision. We have been carrying out regular market testing of firms. We have been taking advice from external advisers called Synergy. When we came to the executive with the plan in September the value of the land was worse than it was 18 months before – but it was still a good deal for residents. We were going to make £16 million that would go with £12 million from the council to build the Sobell Centre. We tested the market again in December and it had slipped badly. The numbers were always getting worse. Then again in March and that was really the tipping point – we realised this wasn’t good value for money.”
She said she could not say the name or number the builders firms contacted during the council’s market testing, saying only that they were builders firms with a “level of leisure expertise”.
“There is a real squeeze at the moment. It is not in building costs but on the residual land value. Developers are stilling paying their guys the same salaries and the materials cost the same. It is the land they are not willing to pay so much for. In this market, the value is not getting the best value for the tax payer.”
She added: “I am very confident that house prices will go up again and, in time, we can get this scheme moving again.”
With two major redevelopment plans put on ice, Islington is forging ahead with plans to refurbish the Grade II listed Ironmonger Row baths . The 1930s facility, one of the few remaining genuine steam baths, will be restored in time for the 2012 Olympics with a £16.4 million refurbishment package.
Campaigners cannot do not understand why the Ironmonger Row Baths facility is being refurbished, while the others two are sent to Coventry.
James Dunnett, a member of the 20th Century Society, said: “I am not for the Ironmonger Row Baths being demolished but I do not see why there should be such a huge investment in refurbishing it and such a small amount in the Sobell and Finsbury leisure centres. They are good buildings and in some ways more fit for purpose that Ironmonger Row. That is a period piece and will need substantial alterations in order to adapt it. I want to get away from the idea that anything built in the 1960s or 70s should be simply demolished out of hand.”
Cllr Polling added: “On the whole I am very disappointed that the Sobell and Finsbury developments are not going ahead. But hopefully it will be only a temporary delay to our work to improve Islington’s leisure centres. It is fantastic that the council can still get the work on Ironmonger Baths done even in this difficult time.” |
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