News

SHEPWAY SPORTS CENTRE FOR HAWKINGE?

Dear Ed,

For nearly six years the issue of building two new sports centres has rumbled on. 

How much longer?

The Folkestone Sports Centre Trust has always been a `reluctant bride` with the problems of reaching an agreement seemingly insurmountable.

However matters are now coming to a head with a Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) deadline of the 30 May to get an agreement moving ever closer. At this point the Private Finance Initiative Grant of £10m.would be lost. 

The problem is now further complicated by an application which has now been submitted to have the land at South Road, Hythe (the second site) designated as a village green under the commons registration act.

It now turns out that a referendum will be needed in Hythe to progress matters further. Had the matters been resolved in Folkestone earlier, none of this would have happened.

It seems to many like me that such is the intransigence of the many factions involved that it will be impossible to put everything in place by the DCMS deadline.

Is this yet another opportunity being lost by Shepway because of factional in-fighting by major vested interests?

Is it now time to think outside the envelope?

Everyone has been trying to build two new small sports centres, but should we not have been trying to build a new state of the art single sports centre with Olympic facilities?

Where could it be situated? 

Two sites come to mind, both with far better highways access than any of the current proposals.

1.  Princess Parade, Hythe (site owned by Shepway District Council).

2.  Employment Land, Spitfire Way, Hawkinge.

My favourite would be Hawkinge because it would go a long way to solving the lack of infrastructure so bemoaned by the parishes of  Swingfield, Acrise, Paddlesworth and Hawkinge and also providing much needed employment.

All the facilities could be built there, including a ski-slope, perhaps using the natural topography, without the loss of any current facilities and amenities.

Furthermore it would be serviced by a new road and away from any potential problems caused by its proximity to residential development.

So come on Shepway, think outside the box, and act decisively before another opportunity for the area is lost forever.

Colin Tearle
Chairman Swingfield Parish Council