Chelmsford Council has failed to consult the public properly and failed to put a range of options forward for the proposed redevelopment of the Riverside site.
They claimed that no decisions had been taken in advance. Yet the original brief for the developers failed to mentioned the outdoor pool or diving facilities. Instead the Conservative -run Council wants a developer to build a new leisure centre paid for by cramming in flats, shops and restaurants on the site.
Chelmsford Liberal Democrat group leader Mike Mackrory said, 'A facility which fails to meet the needs of the wider community and offers less than what already exists is a backward step.
'The Conservative Council say that a new facility will be available for the Olympics in Basildon and that diving is available at Southend Pool. To expect our residents to travel these distances is unacceptable. Any loss of swimming facilities would be very sad in this the County Town, with higher aspirations.'
Given the level of public outrage over these proposals, the Council should go back to their consultants and come back with a set of proposals which include all the options including an outdoor pool and indoor diving boards, fully costed so the public can make fully informed judgements on what THEY want for the town.
Please sign the petition on the right to demonstrate your support for this Lib Dem campaign.
Conservatives support Lib Dem motion for more options on Riverside
Liberal Democrats have successfully persuaded the Conservative Council to present a full range of costed options for the future of the Riverside.
At a meeting of Council on April 23rd, Conservatives voted with the Liberal Democrats to agree that: ‘further extensive public consultation takes place on the full range of costed options, particularly with the User Groups, and a Public Meeting be held before any final decisions are made’.