Minutes

2023/34: Underwood Leisure Centre, Formal Council Questions and Responses - Friday, 5th January, 2024

Items
No. Item

1.

Question to the Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning, Housing and Regulation : 2023/34 - Underwood Leisure Cenetre

Minutes:

Councillor Mogford asked:

 

Underwood Leisure centre was closed on 1 April 2013. Over 10 years ago!

-         After all this time, is the council aware of any plans to bring it back into commercial use in any shape of form. If not is the council in  a position to enforce any degree of maintenance to this building which is now nothing but a hazard , an eyesore, and blot on the landscape. Specifically, what powers to the council have to address any  concerns raised regarding this building

-         As things stand can the Cabinet member confirm, after the embarrassment of the building being used as a cannabis factory in 2019, in plain site, that the continuing state of disrepair and ongoing erosion of the building is not acceptable and it should not be acceptable to the local residents either.

 

 

Councillor Clarke responded:

 

The Council does not own this property and does not condone any illegal use of the property.  There have been a number of planning applications submitted by the landowner, the latest of which was refused.

 

Planning enforcement and Building Control have powers to take action where the appearance of land meets the tests under Section 215 of the Town and Country Planning Act, or where the structure is considered dangerous under the Building Act 1974.  As such, I have asked Officers to visit the site and explore if any action should be taken under these regulations.