Agenda item

5:45 – 6:15pm

The Cabinet Member for Town Centre and Visitor Economy and Executive Director, Michael Rich, attended to provide a progress report on the consultation on the future use of the site of the former Queen’s Park Sports Centre. The Executive Director advised that a contractor had been appointed for the demolition of the old sports centre and that work would begin in January, 2017 taking 12 weeks to complete.

The public consultation on the future use for the site of the former Queen’s Park Sports Centre had taken place between 12 September and 23 October and had received 583 responses. A full report on the consultation responses had been produced and published on the council’s website. The Executive Director provided an overview of the consultation process, the principles which had been used when considering potential uses for the site, and of the responses received to the consultation. The Executive Director advised that research had been carried out prior to the consultation on the potential demand for the council’s preferred option of 3G sports pitches which had shown that there was a demand for such a facility in the area. The consultation process had shown that while respondents had suggested a wide and diverse range of other potential uses for the site, they had been broadly supportive of the principles that had informed the council’s preferred option of 3G sports pitches. 

The consultation had shown that an ice rink on the site was a popular alternative use; however advice sought in advance of the consultation process had shown that a standalone ice rink, even if it were to be delivered using a low-cost design solution, would struggle to be financially self-sustaining. This was due to amongst other factors, it having an overlapping catchment area for users with other local ice rinks in Sheffield, Doncaster and Sutton-in-Ashfield.

The Executive Director outlined the next steps of the process in the making of the decision on the new use of the former sports centre site and advised that a decision in principle for the use of the site would be made by Cabinet on 24 January, 2017. The Cabinet Member for Town Centre and Visitor Economy stressed the importance of stakeholder engagement in the planning and development processes for any future facilities on the site.

Members asked if consideration had been given to any spectator facilities for the 3G pitches. The Executive Director noted that any space for spectators could be limited, but did advise that this issue could be looked at further during consultation on any agreed proposals. Members also asked whether consideration would be given to implementing any of the other ideas received during the consultation as it appeared that the option to install 3G pitches was being heavily favoured by the council. The Executive Director advised that none of the other suggestions received met all of the criteria set out for the use of the site. However consideration would be given to see if some of the other ideas could be looked at for implementation elsewhere in the park. The Cabinet Member for Town Centre and Visitor Economy noted that the council’s Playing Pitch Strategy had identified a shortfall of smaller playing pitches in the Borough, and that it was these types of pitches that were being considered for the site in order to meet the identified need. The Cabinet Member also noted that it was important that any solution proposed for the site was able to pay back the investment made quickly, which the 3G pitches were able to do.

Members noted that 52.7% of the responses received had been from women and asked whether in depth analysis of the data received from the consultation had been made to see if the option of 3G pitches was supported by all sections of the community. Members saw it as essential that any proposed development of the site must be based on evidence of a broad appeal to, and with the support of, the local community. The Executive Director advised that further analysis of the data could be made to look at how different genders and age groups had responded to the consultation. Members asked whether the “footprint” of the proposed 3G pitches would be the same as the old sports centre and also whether any consideration had been given to increasing or reducing the size of the car parks on the site. The Executive Director advised that the demand for any pitches would be further assessed and that nothing had been discounted at this stage.

Members thanked Cabinet Member for Town Centre and Visitor Economy and Executive Director, Michael Rich for attending to provide the progress report and for answering their questions.  Councillors Sarvent and Catt were also thanked as proposed Scrutiny Project Group Leads for their comments, and members were also pleased to see the building demolition works moving forwards. 

RESOLVED –

1.   That the progress report be noted.

2.   That the Chair, Vice-Chair and Councillors Catt and Sarvent, meet with the Cabinet Member for Town Centre and Visitor Economy, and Executive Director Michael Rich in January, 2017 to further discuss the consultation.

3.   That members would like to see comments from external bodies in relation to the proposals early, such as from Historic England.

4.   That further progress reports on the consultation on, and the future use of the site of the former Queen’s Park Sports Centre be brought to the Enterprise and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee as required.