Response
to Stafford Borough Council press release
The document,
Westbridge Park – Stone Leisure Facilities Strategy, indicates a need for a new sports and fitness centre, new
football pitches and improved play facilities. The required size of leisure centre that is indicated in the
report is the size of a football pitch and that is only the leisure centre building itself. It does not include
a car park or any high quality play facilities for all ages.
Add the sizes of
the new building, car park and play facilities together and it’s clear to anyone that such a development would
not fit on the existing Leisure centre site or indeed in the area on the left hand side of Westbridge Park. To
build such a development would mean having to encroach onto the area where the existing football pitches are,
the area that is used by; the Stone Festival , Stone Food & Drink festival and other
users.
The Stone Leisure
Facilities Strategy states that it is designed to complement the emerging Stafford Borough local plan (The Plan
for Stafford Borough).But another document that is used within the Plan for Stafford Borough is the Stafford and
Stone Town Centre Capacity Assessment and it states:
“7.36 The
Westbridge Park site offers the only edge of centre opportunity to deliver a major supermarket that would be
able to address the current overtrading identified at the existing Morrisons store. The site is level and could
accommodate a purpose built store with either undercroft or surface level car parking. If strong links with the
existing town centre are to be encouraged then careful consideration will need to be given to the orientation of
any development on the site including the entrance to the store.
7.37 Any
redevelopment is likely to involve the removal and relocation of the existing leisure centre and the associated
tennis courts, girl guides building and children’s playgrounds. WYG do not believe that demolition and the
relocation of such uses would undermine the viability of any scheme in this locality. However, finding an
alternative location may prove more difficult. The Council will need to carefully consider any potential
relocation options if the site is to be released for redevelopment. There may even be the potential to
re-provide these uses on-site.”
Both documents
are heading in the same direction. It’s my belief that a Super Market would be also built on Westbridge Park to
help fund such leisure developments.
Stafford Borough
Council needs to make it clear what their intentions are with regards to retail development on Westbridge and
not just highlighting the “sweeteners”. For a consultation to go ahead ALL THE FACTS need to be
given.
Even without a
Super Market the leisure building is so large that it would change the appearance of Westbridge Park and the
view along our beautiful green corridor forever.
There is another
solution: Keep and enhance the Football pitches at Westbridge and create the changing facilities that are
required, build new high quality play facilities on the left hand side of the park and develop the new leisure
centre adjacent to Stone Business Park( an area already earmarked for employment land in the Plan for Stafford
Borough).
Relocating the
Leisure facility to an extended Stone Business Park would fit the criteria of creating employment. It’s also
within walking distance of Walton residents and on a major public transport route from Stone town centre and
other surrounding towns. It is also nearer to Westbridge Park than the existing swimming pool at Alleynes High
School.
By taking the above approach they would Keep Westbridge Park Green,
allow Festivals and community events to continue, enhance play facilities and meet all the criteria set out in
their Plan for Stafford Borough.
It could be paid
for by using the New Homes bonus that the Borough will receive from the Government for the 800 new homes it has
planned for Stone, the princely sum of nearly £7 million.
I hope that when
the consultation takes place that it includes options to develop a leisure centre elsewhere and not just a” have
it at Westbridge or not at all” attitude.
My message to
Stafford Borough is “stick it elsewhere”.
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