Castle Farm residents' quality of life 'sacrificed' for new sports centre says councillor

By James Smith

16th Jun 2022 | Local News

Cllr Andrew Milton reiterated his view that WDC had got its leisure plans wrong (Image via WDC)
Cllr Andrew Milton reiterated his view that WDC had got its leisure plans wrong (Image via WDC)

A Kenilworth councillor has said the residents of Castle Farm have had their quality of life sacrificed for the town's new sports facilities.

Contracts to demolish and rebuild the recreation centre were signed at the start of June, with preparatory work already underway.

But local residents have continued to urge Warwick District Council to rethink the scheme, and move the town's sports centre elsewhere.

Speaking at last week's Kenilworth Town Council meeting, Cllr Andrew Milton reiterated his belief that WDC was making a mistake.

"Most people will know that I think the strategy is wrong and that I would much prefer a single site solution that had everything co-located and I think that should have been thought about," he said.

"I am sure it was, but a decision was made and it's a decision I disagree with. 

"I don't think it is the right decision for the district council, the council tax payers and in particular, let us not forget, the residents of Castle Farm who I do feel we have sacrificed their amenity and their quality of life in order to have an expanded leisure centre here."

His words came as town councillors discussed the possible use of the Woodside Hotel for one big leisure centre, to replace the planned builds at Castle Farm and Abbey Fields.

The council is set to write to its district colleagues to ask them for reassurance that all options are being considered.

Cllr John Dearing also said that Castle Farm was the wrong place for a new sports centre, given the number of houses that are to be built on the other side of town.

"I am a geographer and so I think about geographical centres," he said.

"One thing that I think has always concerned me is that we have all this land being developed on the land east of Kenilworth with hundreds of new residents, we have three new schools, yet we are actually moving the centre of gravity for sport - particularly with Castle Farm - to the other side of the town. 

"That has always seemed to me to be a bit of a bizarre situation. 

"So this actually represents an opportunity, not necessarily to build an olympic sized pool, but it does represent an opportunity for the council to think about sporting facilities that are not yet existing in Kenilworth and which could be entertained as a possibility for this site."

     

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