100 signatures reached
To: Birstall Parish Council, Charnwood Borough Council, Leicestershire County Council
Let's improve Birstall's health and wellbeing!
Build a new public funded leisure centre, as enjoyed by other Charnwood residents
Why is this important?
There are currently no publicly funded facilities to aid health and wellbeing in Birstall. The public parks have limited uses that appeal to a minority of people. The swimming pool that was around fifty years old was closed down years ago. Compared to other areas of Charnwood, Birstall has very little to offer residents to improve their health and fitness, despite it being well documented that physical health improves mental wellbeing and can increase life expectancy. The areas of Syston and Thurmaston have easy access to South Charnwood Leisure Centre. In Rothley, Mountsorrel and Quorn they have Soar Valley Leisure Centre whilst the residents of Loughborough and surrounding villages (including Quorn) have access to Loughborough Leisure Centre. See below to see the facilities enjoyed by residents elsewhere in Charnwood!
https://www.charnwood.gov.uk/pages/leisure
The picture above is the pool at Syston.
There is nothing of this calibre for Birstall residents, despite Birstall housing nearly as many people as Syston, and being in the top ten highest contributing villages in Council Tax revenue out of 34 areas, see: https://www.charnwood.gov.uk/files/documents/council_tax_bands_for_2019_20/Council%20tax%20bands%20for%202019-20.pdf
Birstall has seen substantial growth with increased housing, which has increased traffic flow. The introduction of the Park and Ride and the A46 have also added to the volume of traffic. Subsequently Birstall has suffered the loss of green land and a gradual deterioration in the facilities available to local people. Birstall folk have received nothing by way of compensation for the expansion their village has suffered.
Birstall residents call for a new Leisure Centre to be built with facilities comparative to those elsewhere in the borough. A suitable and central location should be found without the loss of further green field. The facilities and amenities available in Birstall fall far short of those available in other, similar sized areas of Charnwood.
Thank you! Now please see two other important matters for Birstall and its residents.
1) Improvement to the area overall, please see petition: Let's make Birstall beautiful again! and 2) Reduce speed limit on A6/Loughborough Road to 30mph, see petition: Let's make Birstall Safer!
Thank you, now please share with your family and friends. Because Birstall matters!
