Smethwick £60m aquatics centre plans approved despite protest
Controversial plans to rubber-stamp Sandwell's £60 million aquatics centre have been approved – despite a protest by campaigners outside the council house ahead of the decision.
Sandwell Council bosses finalised the plans for the Commonwealth Games venue on Londonderry Playing Fields, in Smethwick, at their meeting last night.
Members of Save Londonderry Lane Playing Fields group protested outside the council house before the meeting in the hope that councillors would change their mind on approving the build on the site, which was given planning permission at a meeting on March 13.
But, the last-ditch attempt to overturn the proposals fell through as councillors agreed to sign off the plans and remove the site from Sandwell Council’s development plan.
Campaigners say the project should be built on a brownfield site and not on green space in Smethwick as it will lead to the loss of valuable green space, while traffic congestion and vehicle emissions will add to air pollution in the area.
Keith Price, from the Save Londonderry Lane Playing Fields group, said: “It’s a brilliant project, in the wrong place. They’re taking away green space in one of the worst areas in the borough, the infrastructure is totally inadequate.
"This is the end of the playing fields.
"When it comes to the Commonwealth Games, how will they cater for 5,000 spectators? According to the council they will come by train and bus, but the nearest train station is over a mile away.”
Despite some shouts of “you’re taking our green space” from the public gallery, the plan was agreed by councillors.
Councillor Paul Moore said: “It will provide a much-needed, state of the art leisure centre. The project will deliver a world class centre for the borough and the site is in an area that most requires it.
“We need to look at the kudos of being the host of the aquatic events for the games, it will put Sandwell on the map and will create an enormous legacy.
“It’s a once in a lifetime chance for this council and is the final stage of a very long process.”
The project will host elite athletes at the Commonwealth Games 2022 and will host a 50-metre Olympic-sized competition pool and a 25-metre diving pool as well as a gym, sports hall and 1,000 spectator seats.
Work on the new leisure centre is expected to begin on-site later this year, with preparation work starting this summer.
The leisure centre is expected to be completed by 2021 and will host the swimming and diving for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
The centre will also boast a dry-dive facility, 108-station gym, 25-station ladies-only gym, three activity studios, eight-court sports hall, indoor cycling studio, sauna/steam room and café.
Improvement work will be carried out to the rest of the site which will feature an urban park, football pitch with new changing facilities, children’s play area and on-site parking.
The new centre will be built by Wates Construction and run by Sandwell Leisure Trust (SLT).
