A HENLEY community group facing being controversially kicked out of the town’s sports centre by Wasps is seeking to take over the site – despite the rugby giant’s planning application.
Stratford District Council received an application from the Premiership club in early January to develop Henley Sports Centre in Warwickshire – triggering a petition with nearly 3,000 objectors
The 13-acre site on Stratford Road is located in the green belt and was being used by 1,500 people each week, including ten football clubs, a school, college, disabled basketball team and many more.
But since the new year it has been rented to Wasps by Warwickshire College Group. Sporting activities are already being removed – in the absence of planning permission for Wasps’ training ground.
Wasps hope to win planning consent and build a ‘state-of-the-art performance centre’, moving in by the start of next season in September.
Wasps’ chief executive Stephen Vaughan said: “We are striving for a seamless transition into our new training ground and, subject to planning consent, we are aiming to be based in Henley at the start of the season.
“Some minor internal works are scheduled to begin at the site soon, so that if planning consent is granted, we are ready to proceed with our plans to move there before next season starts.
“Wasps as a club are passionate about making a difference in all areas of the community, and we are exploring how we can bring some of our existing activities into Henley and the surrounding areas in the longer-term.”
But many current and former users oppose the team’s takeover, and the petition aims to save the community sports centre.
Campaign group Henley Sports Centre Alliance hopes the planning application will be turned down by councillors on the planning committee, on the grounds the building was only originally granted permission due its community use.
It then hopes to take over running the site as a Community Interest Company and bring back its former users along with new clients.
A spokesman said: “The public feeling is that right from the off it has appeared very underhand when it should have been done transparently.
“We believe Wasps won’t get planning and hope they will walk away and then we can sit down with Warwickshire College Group.
“An Asset of Community Value Order was applied for on the centre so the community could take it over and run it. It was previously turned down (by the district council) but we believe it is a good proposal.
“We have a business plan and the funding, we have everything ready to go to run it as it was for the community, but at a profit.”
Wasps – who play their games at Coventry’s Ricoh Arena and have shut out tenants Coventry City Football Club amid a legal dispute – have been using Broadstreet rugby club in Binley Woods as a temporary training base.
Previous attempts by Wasps to move into and remove Coventry City FC’s prized youth academy at the Alan Higgs Centre in Allard Way, Coventry, had collapsed, amid ongoing financial difficulties and public opposition.
