Sports hall demolition begins (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh Liberal Democrats)

Edinburgh East and Musselburgh Liberal Democrats <Charles.Cavaye@talktalk.net>

Sports hall demolition begins

April 28, 2010 10:58 AM
Originally published by Scottish Liberal Democrats

Jo Swinson has called on East Dunbartonshire Council to stand firm on securing community facilities for Bishopbriggs in the town centre redevelopment as the demolition of the sports hall on the former Bishopbriggs Academy site began this week.

Jo Swinson ran a campaign to save the hall, alongside a local community group who proposed to run the hall as a community facility. In October 2009, East Dunbartonshire Council's planning board agreed that the hall should be kept standing until a detailed planning application had been approved, in order to ensure that the town centre redevelopment contained adequate facilities for the community.

This condition was quietly dropped in a meeting just before Christmas, and replaced with a legal agreement requiring the developers to include new community facilities in the development, including meeting rooms, a café and office space. However, these must only be provided 'subject to confirmation of demand and operational resourcing', and as no detailed planning application has been submitted, there is no guarantee that these will be included.

Commenting, Jo Swinson said:

"It is very sad to see the sports hall on the old Bishopbriggs Academy site being demolished. It was only recently built, and at great cost to the taxpayer.

"I am deeply concerned that this is happening before Muse Developments have submitted their detailed plans for the town centre. Although they have agreed to provide new community facilities for Bishopbriggs, without having the plans submitted in black and white there is no guarantee that this will happen.

"Muse Developments have tried several times to try to wriggle out of their promises to the people of Bishopbriggs, and the Council must stand firm to ensure that they really do deliver the new facilities that the community needs."

Notes:

For more information on the Bishopbriggs Town Centre development visit www.joswinson.org.uk/bbtowncentre