Controversial leisure plans scrapped (From Harrow Times)

Controversial leisure plans scrapped

10:57pm Thursday 25th September 2008 in

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PLANS to build a new leisure centre, skatepark, and entertainment venue in Harrow have been scrapped.

The Tory-administration on Harrow Council has had to abandon its grand plans to replace Harrow Leisure Centre, and build a state-of-the-art replacement for Byron Hall.

The plans, costing in excess of £36m, have had to be scrapped due to the current economic crisis and the dire state of the housing market.

Councillors had wanted to sell of land in Byron Park for housing, and offload the site of the former Gayton Library to fund the project.

But as exclusively revealed in the Harrow Times two weeks ago, the council was struggling to sell the land, and has decided to scrap the whole development rather than sell the sites in cut-price deals.

Tonight's official announcement wil delight campaigners against the project, who had feared the new, and smaller, leisure centre would reduce sports provision in the borough.

It will also come as a relief to skaters and BMX riders, who had protested against their skatepark in Byron Park being demolished to make way for the leisure development.

The council has also had to scale back ambitious plans to improve and redevelop the town centre, abandoning the idea for a showpiece fountain and agreeing to concentrate on smaller scale improvements.

Money will now be invested in bring the current leisure centre up to standard.