Refurbish King Alfred Centre says Taylor
20 November 2008
Green councillors' bid to have £1 million spent on renovations to the current siteWith the collapse of plans to redevelop the King Alfred centre and surrounding site, the Green Group of councillors on the Brighton & Hove City Council have called for an immediate health and safety audit of the centre, with a view to starting work on renovating the current site straightaway.
Green Group Convenor Cllr Keith Taylor (left) said: "We are sorry to lose the chance of a new leisure centre and much needed affordable housing, though the project had clearly grown beyond the capacity of the site.
"The reality we face now is clear: there is no prospect of short or medium term progress with Karis, and as such the council must go back to the drawing board.
“The Green Group believes any new plans should be sustainable, affordable, developed with full community involvement and be complementary to the site.
“However, whatever plans the council settle on, it’s clear they will take a very long time to come to fruition. In the meantime, local people are daily using what has become a run down and declining leisure centre.
“It’s vital the council conducts an immediate health and safety audit of the centre. For far too long, King Alfred’s has been allowed to slowly fade away with the routine business of repairs and maintenance neglected, in favour of star studded and costly re-development plans.
“Renovation work is desperately needed – and the £1m Greens secured for seafront transport as part of the development agreement could be used to fund this, on the basis of more urgent need.
“Whatever happens, the council must ensure King Alfred’s is not left to rot. We need urgent and decisive action - this is too important an issue to be ‘mothballed.’
"As one of the city’s two major leisure centres, it desperately needs refurbishing to ensure local people have access to quality sports facilities in a clean and safe environment.”
Notes to editors:
Journalists only for further information please contact the Brighton and Hove Green Party Press Officer on 07931 231390.[ENDS]
