Staines Town Society objects to the proposed loss of part of Staines Park and the pleasant outdoor facilities in it, the tennis and basketball courts, the Bowling Green, the picnic area, the gardens with mature trees, the youth shelter, and also the museum storage in the pavilion. Apart from the bowls club, these facilities are free and accessible to all. They will be replaced by indoor sports with charges payable to a private company. Criterion B on location states that the site must already be in use for recreation.
The addendum that the displaced recreational facilities must be re-provided, as required by Policy EN4 (g), should have been automatic and clearly stated. Instead, with astonishing insensitivity, they were not even mentioned in the document or the exhibition. The proposed sports pitches will encroach upon the open park space. If permitted they should be grass, not an artificial surface, and must not be floodlit. The path through the park, which makes a safe traffic-free route to the schools, nurseries, and health centre, must be retained. It should be possible to rebuild the Leisure Centre on site, perhaps by relocating it nearer the back of the site.
Ashford Hospital was rebuilt in 1993-5 without closing. At worst, if the centre or part of it has to close for a year or two, this would be better than the permanent loss of so much vital green space. Inside the centre we ask for specialised gym and physiotherapy equipment, with trained staff, for use by people with disabilities and people recovering from strokes. This is particularly important following the closure of the stroke rehabilitation ward at Ashford Hospital.
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