Council to stop work on community stadium and sports project at Wycombe Air Park

19 July 2011

Wycombe District Council's Cabinet have decided that work on the community stadium and sports project proposed at Wycombe Air Park will stop, but that future sporting provision in the Wycombe district will be investigated with the help of the community. The decision was made at a Cabinet meeting on Monday 18 July.

Cabinet members put forward their views on the Council's future involvement in the community stadium and sports project, taking into consideration all of the work done on the project to date, the strategic outline business case, planning issues and the views expressed during meetings with interested groups. Of the four options before them, it was a variation to option one that was finally agreed:

The Council to stop work on the community stadium and sports project proposed on the Wycombe Air Park site. The Cabinet to then engage with all stakeholders in the community on all options to investigate future sporting provision in the District; something the District can be proud of.

Of the ten Cabinet members, five didn't participate in the vote either due to a perceived interest or otherwise to ensure fairness in the eyes of the public and one Cabinet member gave their apologies for the meeting. A quorum for the meeting was three Cabinet members; four Cabinet members voted.

Following the Cabinet meeting, Cllr Alex Collingwood, Leader of Wycombe District Council, commented: "Having carefully considered the strategic outline business case, listened to the different views expressed and weighed up the potential benefits against the potential risks, it was felt that we couldn't go on with the project at the Air Park site.

"The risks to the Council for a development at the Air Park were threefold - funding ability, planning consent and long term viability.

"While no formal planning application has been submitted, there were concerns about the infrastructure to support the development, current green belt policy and the risks around the special circumstances needed to justify such a development.

"While we will stop work on the community stadium and sports project at the Air Park site, we are committed to investigating future sporting provision in the Wycombe district. We want to provide a new sports centre at Handy Cross and would like to engage with the community on possible options so that ultimately, we can provide facilities that we can all use and be proud of."