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Broadbridge Heath Leisure Centre faces closure - add your comments
Broadbridge Heath Leisure Centre.
BROADBRIDGE Heath Leisure Centre has been deemed ‘surplus to requirements’ according to a consultant’s report.
The facility is now recommended for demolition.
Horsham District Council have released the findings of a £6,000 Leisure Futures Study this week, revealing an ‘over supply of sports halls and fitness gyms in the north of the district’.
It recommends the council agrees ‘in principle to decommission and close Broadbridge Heath Leisure Centre from December 2012, with a view to demolish the building’.
The centre needs repairs of between £1.3 million and £1.5 million to the roof, mechanics and electrics and fabric of the building, discovered when the council was preparing to renew its management contract for the end of November 2012.
For the full story, plus comment, buy this week’s County Times.
What do you think? Should this facility be saved - would it be money well spent?
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Weather for Horsham
Friday 25 May 2012
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Comments
There are 23 comments to this article
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karen sciberras
Wednesday, November 30, 2011 at 02:50 AMI would like to make further comment on the likely closure of BBH, if the council are wanting to build a new retail unit why dont they look at other places ,(which seem also SUPPLUS TO REGUIREMENT) , such has the foundery lane estate there seems to be a few buidings either empty or up for sale just sitting there not being used ,( unlike BBH), it would be idea as there is a bus root near and the station just down the road. Going back to the leisure centre they say it will cost £i.5m to repair surley this could be done over an number of years and surley the cost wouldnt be just met by the council tax , people do pay a member ship fee, and i am sure a sponser or two could be found , and lastly a thought they seemed to have over looked where are all the staff going to go ,they dont seemed to care that people will lose their jobs ,especially in todays climate yet more people trying to find work.t ,especially at the possiblity at knowing just before christmas they no longer have a job this time next year.
GazC
Friday, November 25, 2011 at 03:30 PMjust about sums up HDC's contemptible attitude to the electorate, I would say come election time........ but the same sheep that voted them in the last time will moan and bleat, but still do nothing about a Council who cares nothing about the town it represents!!!!
DONT CALL ME DAVE
Thursday, November 24, 2011 at 12:45 PMIf the site is to be redeveloped as retail then let's hope that vehicular access will be uprated accordingly.
ConcernedParent
Thursday, November 24, 2011 at 11:30 AMHaving only heard yesterday of the shocking news of BBH Leisure Centre’s planned closure I feel compelled to voice of my utter disbelieve that Horsham District Council could even contemplate this. For a council that claims to have the interests of its local community at heart what a disservice this will be for the families in the local area. I say that I am, local’ I drive 4 miles, and am happy to do so, to utilise the facilities this centre provides. I am a member of the centre, my son attends Karate and Timeout Clubs and also weekly football training with Ambassadors Football Club. We, as a family have enjoyed the Charity Football Tournaments hosted by the Centre and the annual District Sports Competition between local schools. We are one family with one child, this facility is a huge part of our lives. We also, often see my son’s classmates attending Badminton, Athletics and Trampoline Clubs. I am led to believe the corporate giant Tescos have proposals for the land. Surely, the community who provides this store with the loyalty of its custom would far appreciate Tesco’s help in funding the improvements that need to be made, not exploiting an opportunity? But the cynic in me says that this is all about corporate and council greed. If just one of those parties showed some integrity, true community spirit and compassion for the families whom they claim to respect and serve!!
n. saxby
Wednesday, November 23, 2011 at 08:37 PMthe council must be mad, and extremely short sited. They let the building run down , then moan about how much it will cost to repair. There is no way you can spread all the existing clubs and groups who use the centre around Horsham. There are not the equivelant standard of facilities in the town. If you try to upgrade them it will cost far more than the repairs to the existing buildings Where are all the thousands of new people who will occupy all the new housing that is going to be built go for their sports and leisure? If nearly 200,000 people use the centre in a year,you should be proud of that and do everything possible to encourage more. Horsham's olympic legacy ? KNOCK DOWN OUR SPORTS CENTRE!!!!! thank you Horsham Council for nothing.!
dannyjoanna
Wednesday, November 23, 2011 at 01:33 PMIt was my understanding that even 18 months ago Tesco had expressed an interest in developing the Sports Centre site in order to build a dedicated warehouse for the use of its on-line shopping department to pick its orders from! I am also concerned that there is no mention of the current and future development of the area around BBH. Surely with that will come extra demand for the facilities that the Sports Centre offers but the cynic in me thinks that this announcement is all rather convenient for Tesco and the council.
samosal
Tuesday, November 22, 2011 at 09:26 PMAs the former District Councillor for Broadbridge Heath, I am shocked and angry about this proposal. Broadbridge Heath Leisure Centre is a well used and much loved local community hub, providing a wide range of activities for all ages and abilities. The over 50s "Life is for Living" club, for example, offers one of the best examples of what such facilities can achieve in terms of promoting health, fitness and social good. It beggars belief that, on the back of a £6000 consultants' report, the Council can decide to demolish BBHLC and without any community consultation.. Did the need for these repairs really come as such a shock and if they did, what on earth has HDC been doing over the years to ensure that the building was receiving regular inspections, in anticipation of problems occuring? Of course, it may be that the Council sees an opportunity to make some money out of the land to replenish its empty coffers and this is the perfect excuse........I hope the community will fight,fight, fight this outrageous proposal.
AESwater
Tuesday, November 22, 2011 at 03:34 PMIt is all very well the Council saying that the leisure facilities provided in Horsham are 'adequate' but what will happen when all the extra houses are built? Will these facilities still be considered adequate? The other leisure facilities available are already over-subscribed in my experience and the closure of Broadbridge Heath can only exacerbate this situation. Why has this valuable local asset been allowed to deteriorate to the extent that it has thus necessitating major expenditure now: if it had been properly and regularly maintained by the Council over the years this situation would not have come about. If only it had been as well attended to and maintained as the Shelley Fountain!! It does beg the question has Horsham District Council deliberately allowed this to happen so that the reward they will reap from the disposal of the leisure centre will then enable them to squander the money on yet another white elephant which idea will be sold to the Horsham residents as the new 'must have' for the town.
julia haig
Tuesday, November 22, 2011 at 01:35 PMQuote from BBC Sussex website regarding the closure of BBH Leisure centre - Councillor Jonathan Chowen, the cabinet member for leisure, said it was important the Tory-run council spends "public money smartly and where demand dictates". Well then demand dictates that you leave the leisure centre open and stop spending money on ridiculous and ugly fountains. I will not be increasing my carbon footprint by travelling to K2 at Crawley nor will I be spending the extra cost of the classes at Pavilions (those classes are full anyway) including paying to park.
Sheila White
Tuesday, November 22, 2011 at 12:57 PMYounger people who use the Leisure Centre facilities are rightly incensed by the Council’s “no warning, no consultation with the public” proposal to demolish the Leisure Centre. I’m one of the older generation and perhaps other people in the area don’t realise that during the week, in the daytime (when the rest of you are at school or work) we go to the Leisure Centre for a wide range of sporting and leisure activities. It helps to keep us fit and active (and keep us off the hospital waiting lists). I can tell you that the 50+ age group are really angry about this proposal. (There was even a suggestion we demonstrate by camping out (St Paul’s style) in front of the Council offices. I think it was said jokingly, but who knows, we could see militant wrinklies pitching their bendies in the Councillors’ car park before long. Let’s hope the Council sees sense before that becomes a possibility and before the Leisure Centre site becomes part of a Tesco Mega Complex.
Rob Pine
Sunday, November 20, 2011 at 07:55 PMThis is depressing news. My family have been regular users of the Leisure Centre in the years we have lived in BBH. Not only do we face the loss of an important village amenity, it beggars belief that yet another council building's roof is failing. Councils around the UK have a dire track record of taking over buildings, when, surprise, surprise a survey reveals there are problems with the roof. Remember the debacle with the roof of Pavillions in the Park? Developers put up buildings for public use and they must see HDC as complete patsies. Whatever happened to building surveyors? This adage surely applies - rubbish to begin with quickly becomes a more expensive rubbish to be paid for by the tax payer. HDC you are fools - yet again!
JG2
Sunday, November 20, 2011 at 05:01 PMThis is an utter disgrace and outrage. How the council can even consider scrapping leisure centre is baffaling. There is NO centre within the local area that can even begin to be suggested as a substitute, and no centre which can hold all of the current facilities in under one roof. Pavillions, is hardly a replacement for the gym facilities there. It's a comercial fitness gym. Which will now result on people commuting to K2 or further afield just to continue their own training. Let alone individuals involved with sports clubs, such as the Horsham Blue Star Harriers formed in 1925, which will be utterly blindsided by such a decision. Do the Council really think Horsham Blue stars would be allowed to train at Crawley Athletics club as an independant body and club? Let alone the logistical nightmare for parents trying to ferry kids from school to an after school athletics club. Some facilities however the centre offers, cannot be found unless you go as far a field as Sutton or Brighton. It has an indoor athletics track, and sufficient training facilities to accomdate a beginer-intermediate Olympic weightlifting group. How the council can justify the closure of this site is utterly bewildering.
SManvell
Saturday, November 19, 2011 at 05:56 PMSurplus to requirements usually means not used, not needed. How can this statement apply to BBH Leisure Centre when it is utilised by the population of Horsham and surrounding areas from toddler to OAP? The facilities are very much needed and contrary to the statement, definitely required for the raft of clubs, organisations and individuals that use them. The centre is a friendly well run asset to the Horsham area, but our caring forward thinking council seems to believe that Horsham is a town of immobile inactive citizens who are content to while away their lives watching TV or wandering round the empty office blocks and housing estates. Our young generation already have to absorb enough knocks to their morale without taking away a centre that provides pleasure and the ability for sporting achievement. I am only one of very many who use the centre multiple times a week. In my case 5 times. I am 55 and keen to ensure I do not become a burden to the already overstretched NHS by drifting into a lethargic and inactive old age. We all need to stand up to this ridiculous proposal which is only based on greed for selling land to allow developers to build more unaffordable housing that our young families can only dream of owning. I have never felt so incensed about a headline in the local paper before and am still feeling incredulous at how anyone can think that this is a sensible proposal.
molly14
Saturday, November 19, 2011 at 04:52 PMI have been at Horsham Blue Stars for three years now, BBH has the only local track in Horsham and the only indoor running facility in 50 miles!Why should the residents of Horsham be forced to travel to Crawley and even further to access a facility such as this? I think its astounding the Council can even consider tearing it down! I would be devastated if the council demolished the leisure center as its been a massive part of my life.
SussexBorn
Saturday, November 19, 2011 at 12:09 AMI have been a member of Horsham Blue Stars Athletics Club since I was an U15 and I'm now at University but still compete and train with the club whenever I am back in holidays. Broadbridge Heath has been our training ground for many years and I think it will be absolutely devastating if they demolish this site. There are so many young, talented athletes in our club who come down every Monday and Wednesday, and sometimes Saturdays, to train on the track and now they want to take it away. If the council proceed with these plans, I think it will be a massive blow to a much loved and successful club.
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