Mike Weatherley, the Conservative MP for Hove and Portslade, has written to the Chief Executive of Brighton & Hove City Council for an update on the King Alfred redevelopment after months of inaction from the Council.
Mike has been actively supporting new, state-of-the-art sporting facilities in Hove. Last year he hosted a public meeting – attended by hundreds of residents – on the redevelopment and also spoke at a Brighton & Hove City Council Policy & Resources meeting in order to keep the desire for a 50m swimming pool alive.
Mike has also helped an online petition, signed by Olympic Diver Chris Mears and swimming champion Karen Pickering MBE, calling for a 50m pool, smash its target for signatures.
In his letter to Penny Thompson, Mike wrote: “It is becoming clear that Brighton & Hove City Council is not making a new King Alfred Leisure Centre a high priority and that residents will have to wait even longer to enjoy the highly-anticipated facility, which is disappointing. I understand that the Project Board that was specifically formed in order to oversee the redevelopment has not met for months. This lack of action is an unacceptable delay.”
Mike said: “Far too much time has passed with little to show on progress for the King Alfred redevelopment. Residents across the city desperately need updated leisure facilities and this stalling is simply delaying the building of a new first-rate swimming pool which, as parents and children have been demanding, hopefully incorporates a 50m pool. As things stand, Brighton & Hove City Council is failing residents.”
Development of the King Alfred site has been dogged by controvesy since a decision was made to re-develop the site by the former Labour administration that lost power in 2007. Proposals for a controversial landmark building by the internationally renowned architecht Frank Gehry which included a sports centre and swimming pool received planning permission in late 2006 but was derailed during the Conservative administration elected in 2007.
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