Sobell’s demolition plans finally trashed

Published: 04 June 2010
by RÓISÍN GADELRAB

CAMPAIGNERS were savouring victory this week as Islington’s new Labour council confirmed controversial plans to demolish the Sobell Leisure Centre had been scrapped.

Labour’s finance chief Councillor Richard Greening told the Tribune last week: “The grandiose project envisaged by the Lib Dems isn’t going to happen.”

Campaigners welcoming the news said “a collective sigh of relief and celebration” will be heard from users of the Holloway centre when the rebuilding plans are officially ditched.

This week, Labour environment chief Councillor Paul Convery confirmed that plans to flatten the building and replace it with a new centre, swimming pool and housing would be dropped at a council cabinet meeting within six weeks.

The Lib Dems’ £30million scheme was supposed to be a lasting legacy of the former administration. But it ran into trouble from campaigners upset that a £50,000 consultation exercise included only demolition options. They claimed that alternative refurbishment plans – estimated at £46million by the Lib Dems – had been dismissed due to “overinflated costings”.

The plans had to be shelved in May last year when the credit crunch hit.

Cllr Convery said that £1.7million set aside to fix the roof, floor, ice rink and complete minor internal refurbishments at the centre would last about 10 years but that Labour would be looking at alternative plans in the meantime. 

He promised to run a new consultation exercise if there were proposals to make any significant changes to the centre, which he hopes will include a swimming pool and outdoor sports.

Council finance chiefs are carrying out a detailed review of all capital spending, he said, warning that finances are tight.

He added: “It’s going to be hard to build a completely new swimming pool. At the end of the review I hope we’ll have the money but that might not happen for several years.” 

Barry Hill, who has headed the campaign to save the Sobell, said: “The policy for retention and improvement stated by Paul will ensure the future of the centre. 

“When actioned, a collective sigh of relief and celebration will be heard from all users and residents. Common sense will have prevailed, with the views of users and the community finally being considered.”

He thanked Labour MP Jeremy Corbyn, Gordon Kerr from England Squash and Racquetball, planner Peter Baird and architect James Dunnett for the “hundreds of hours” spent working to secure the future of the centre.

Lib Dem group leader Councillor Terry Stacy said: “It’s a missed opportunity. They are turning down the chance to redevelop a crumbling building into a state-of-the-art leisure centre. We always pledged to bring back a swimming pool. This is a golden opportunity to deliver on some of the thousands of new homes Labour has promised.”

The Sobell Foundation Trustees are planning to place a plaque at the centre in September to commemorate Sir Michael Sobell, the TV entrepreneur who gave £1m towards the cost of the centre.