New £25million leisure centre for Leighton Buzzard approved - but could take up to 5 years

New £25m leisure facilities approved for Leighton Buzzard could still be “four or five years” away, according to a local councillor, who labelled the lack of a sports hall “disappointing”.

The sports centre is located within Clipstone Park, as part of the east of Leighton Buzzard urban extension.

It would occupy land also allocated for school and sports pitch provision, according to a report to the local authority’s development management committee.

The start of work is scheduled to be delayed for a year because of applicant Central Bedfordshire Council’s current financial challenges.

A new school could be built by the leisure centre at a later date, which might include a community shareable sports hall, councillors were told.

Senior planning officer Lauren Rance described the site off Briggington Way as “a mix of farmland with hedgerow filled boundaries”, saying: “Sufficient land has been retained for the school and sport pitches, but there are no detailed plans yet showing the exact layout for those uses.”

Leighton Buzzard resident and member of BuzzCycles sustainable transport campaign group Chris Stevenson suggested travel to the premises “would be almost entirely car-based, breaking government policy”.

There are no direct routes to the town centre, which is two-and-a-half miles away, so few people will want to walk or cycle, he warned.

“There may be a plan for a direct walking and cycling route along Clipstone Brook. But there’s no start date for this, which is unacceptable.

“A travel plan is required, although not present in the plans. It seems churlish to object to a new leisure centre, but ironically the only way to get to a new fitness centre is to drive there.”

Liberal Democrat Leighton Linslade North councillor David Bligh admitted to being “slightly disappointed” at the absence of a sports hall.

“Given it will take probably take four or five years to come to fruition, the cycling and walking infrastructure could be delivered by then. My main concern is why there isn’t a sports hall. I’m worried Tiddenfoot Leisure Centre may see its fate sealed once the new one opens.

“I’d like to see a separate sports hall, as I’m not convinced the school will be built during my life. But I really hope the network of cycling paths is in place by the time it’s completed.”

CBC’s head of leisure Lisa White explained: “A new larger centre is required to meet the needs of residents and for the town, as its population continues to increase.

“Tiddenfoot is more than 50 years old and at the end of its viable lifespan. The site was the only one in the area which could accommodate this scale of development.

“It will benefit from the adjacent sports pitches being provided as part of the Clipstone Park development, with the chance to provide an indoor and outdoor sporting hub serving the wider community.

“A new school is undetermined, but there are opportunities there if a sports hall is provided within that project.”

Councillors approved the plans with eight votes in favour, one against and two abstentions.