Councillor Chris Chambers, Suffolk County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport Strategy, Planning and Waste, said:
“Newmarket’s residents would be the ones let down by the abandonment of a sports facility at the St Felix site. But the county council still believes it is a credible and workable opportunity, and will pursue it with West Suffolk Council.
“Residents have been waiting for nearly a decade for such an amenity, and I don’t agree with West Suffolk Council’s recent, and seemingly rushed, announcement to abandon it, and the stated challenges that they say they face.
“They have had ample opportunity up until now, to raise these concerns about the delivery of a new sports facility subsequent to the delivery of housing on the site - and have approved it, in principle, on multiple occasions in previous years.
“I am also disappointed with West Suffolk Council’s handling of this situation. Their announcement was made without the county council being allowed to respond - despite clear assurances that we would be given that opportunity.”
During the planning of the new homes at the Edmundham Developments ‘Astley Place’ site, works were tailored with a new sports facility in mind. Electrical and foul water pumping infrastructure was oversized, to accommodate the needs of such a resource.
The building compound was designed to be re-used during construction of the sports facility, and top soil and aggregates from the housing development could also be used during the new construction.
Councillor Chris Chambers continues:
“I and local county council members are surprised and disappointed that it appears such planning has only taken place over recent months, leading to West Suffolk Council to make a rushed conclusion that the site is unsuitable.
“It’s regrettable that West Suffolk Council’s work on this site did not happen much earlier - we had primed it for a seamless programme of work alongside the housing development.
“But although we’re not in the ideal situation that we had put in place, the county council is committed to continuing to work together and playing our part to give Newmarket residents their much-needed facility at this site.”
