"Because the council can't get its act together I have to object" - councillor warns of "hideous" traffic as £25million leisure centre in Leighton Buzzard approved

A new £25m leisure centre labelled “an amazing investment in Leighton Buzzard” has been approved, but not without some areas of concern.

Applicant Central Bedfordshire Council’s sports facility will be built on a 588-acre site as part of the Clipstone Park residential development, east of the town.

It will benefit from nearby sports pitches, while a school is also proposed at a later stage, the local authority’s development management committee was told.

Councillors agreed the council’s proposals could proceed, but there was one vote against the project.

Independent Leighton Linslade West councillor Victoria Harvey said: “It’s extremely difficult to get to the eastern side from Linslade. So it’s inaccessible to many people in my ward.

“However, there’s a desperate need for more leisure facilities locally. I’m aware of the huge amount of work to obtain the best facilities for the town.

“The traffic will be hideous to get there. It’s a tragedy we have a master plan, we’ve a potentially fantastic facility, but somewhere within this council we’ve failed to deliver.

“There are such critical appalling problems in highways and how we deliver, where some simple bits of joined up working could instead transform this. So because this council can’t get its act together, I have to object.”

CBC’s head of leisure Lisa White explained: “The centre will be integrated into the local footpath and cycleways accompanying the residential scheme, and there are plans to expand these.

“This setting will offer a much larger fitness suite and meeting space to ensure the building meets wider community needs.

“It will deliver a strategic facility with modern high quality leisure facilities for the surrounding area.”

Liberal Democrat Leighton Linslade West councillor Russell Goodchild was supportive, suggesting: “It’s not 100 per cent what we want. But it’s a huge step towards providing the infrastructure facilities the town has required for years.

“One revenue stream has been missed entirely and that’s the beauty area. Welwyn Garden City in Hertfordshire included that and it’s proved a huge revenue stream.”

Conservative Cranfield and Marston Moretaine councillor Sue Clark said: “I appreciate there are some reservations, but this is an amazing investment in Leighton Buzzard, a fantastic new facility and we should be supporting it.”

Conservative Clifton, Henlow and Langford councillor Richard Wenham agreed, describing it as “an excellent opportunity”, and adding: “We should welcome it with open arms. This should be built at full speed and not delayed by a year in the capital budget.”

Conservative Heath and Reach councillor Mark Versallion backed the project, saying: “The facilities at Tiddenfoot on the wet side will almost certainly shut down.

“But there’s interest from Cedars School and others locally for the dry side to continue as a community facility, perhaps with town council support.”

Asked about the indoor provision, Ms White replied: “The new school is undetermined, but there are opportunities there if a sports hall is provided within that development.

“The six-court sports hall at Cedars will be retained. The dry side facilities remain there and carry on under a community use agreement.”