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Islington Tribune - by PETER GRUNER
Published: 8 August 2008

Michael Coffey

Greens attack plans to ‘bury sports centre among homes’

PLANS to rebuild Islington’s flagship Sobell Centre in Finsbury Park were described this week as “vague, rushed and absurdly one-sided”.
The criticism comes from the Green Party, who denounced a public consultation on the proposals as more like an “ultimatum” with just four options, all involving demolition and building new houses on the site.
The Greens, who carried out their own survey outside the centre, said the majority of people questioned wanted Islington Council to think again.
Under the council’s plans the 35-year-old centre, funded by businessman philanthropist the late Sir Michael Sobell, would be demolished. A new sports centre would be built in time for the Olympics, surrounded by new housing.
The Green Party’s campaigns co-ordinator, Michael Coffey, said there were no options in the consultation exercise to refurbish or expand the existing, hugely popular centre.
He added: “Islington has the second lowest area of open space per person of any borough in the country. The Sobell is one of very few sites which could offer big gains in open space and social amenity, and the council’s aim should be to make the most of this.”
Mr Coffey asked how the council, which says it is worried about youth crime, could sell land that could be used for park and sports facilities.
He added: “The options in this so-called consultation would cram the proposed new sports centre into a shoebox and bury our number one sports venue in the middle of a housing estate.”
The Greens have suggested the space earmarked for housing could be used as a bike and skate park, adventure playground, a lido and paddling pool – or integrated into improved landscaping.
Lib Dem leisure chief Councillor Ruth Polling said: “Housing will not only help to pay for the scheme but is a necessity, and 50 per cent will be affordable. Islington has a massive housing shortage.”

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