Shortage of leisure facilities means community can use Leighton Buzzard school's sports hall, but some residents feel 'betrayed'

A sports hall at Oak Bank School is being made available to a small number of community groups on a 12-month temporary basis.

The Sandy Lane special school applied to Central Bedfordshire Council to vary a condition on a previous planning application, which prevented public use of the hall.

Conservative Leighton Buzzard South councillor Ray Berry referred to the leisure strategy for Leighton Linslade at the local authority’s development control committee.

“Despite a comment I heard from residents saying ‘what about Tiddenfoot?’, we do not have anywhere near the facilities that we need,” he said. “To let something like this disappear would be a complete crime.”

Residents opposed to the change allowing limited community use of the sports hall applauded speakers who backed their stance.

Conservative Leighton Buzzard North councillor Ken Ferguson described the circumstances as “no material way different to the original”. He was representing “all the residents of Sandy Lane, some in Carlton Grove and some in Heath Park Road”.

Sandy Lane is a narrow residential road not used to heavy traffic, he explained. “This school has a large population of students with a variety of disabilities.

“If they’re saying there’s a large disabled population wanting to come along and pay to go in there I wonder what they are doing currently.

“Are they going elsewhere? Are they saying to the town council that they’re looking for facilities?”

Conservative Leighton Buzzard North councillor Ewan Wallace said: “The residents feel betrayed. There was active engagement by school management. Promises were made.

“It was to be for school use only. The residents are not selfish NIMBYs. They don’t wish the school ill. They do object to the commercialisation of school activities.”

Governor Richard Johnson said the school works in a very challenging environment.

“We’re acutely aware of the needs which exist in our parish for the facilities at Oak Bank.

“We have become blessed in the last two years with having a multi-award winning disability sports programme in Leighton Linslade.

“There’s also a deep and rich heritage in guiding and scouting, as well as three very active cadet units.

“The state-of-the-art climbing wall is one of only a handful in Bedfordshire.

“The governing body in no way seeks to commercially exploit these facilities,” he added.

“We see it as unrealistic and totally inappropriate to operate in that fashion.

“As things stand, we do not envisage it being used more than three times a week.”

Independent Linslade councillor Victoria Harvey said: “Living in Leighton Buzzard the cry for more facilities is huge, particularly for any sporting facilities for young people.

“I am badgered about it the whole time. There is a real shortage.

“We are urged by a majority group and a government to use our facilities efficiently, not to build loads of new ones.

“There’s more emphasis on physical activities strategies and how we need to get young people moving.

“In this context, not to use good facilities for young people, and particularly for disabled people for the wider community seems extraordinary.”

Councillors agreed the sports hall could be used by a limited number of local groups for an initial 12-month trial period.