1,000 signatures reached
To: Epping Forest District Council
Save Ongar Leisure Centre
This petition has been set up to oppose the closure of the Ongar Leisure Centre and swimming pool. The purpose of this petition is to convince Epping Forest District Council that this amenity is critically important to our whole community in Ongar and the proposal to redevelop this site (SR-0848) for housing should be removed from the draft Local Development aplan 2016
Why is this important?
If we don't act now, the proposal for this site will remain in the Local Plan due to be sent to The Secretary of State for approval later in 2017. The land is owned by the District Council, so once the Local Plan is approved, it would be very difficult to stop the land being sold and redeveloped in a few years time. The leisure centre and swimming pool will be closed along with most of the carpark which is also used and needed by the 12,000 patients using the local doctors surgery. The site has been in marked for 24 houses. There is nowhere else to build any new Leisure Centre and Swimming Pool in its place in Ongar
We have had a great deal of feed back from our "Save Ongar Leisure Centre" Facebook page.
Here are some of the comments:
"Are they really going to knock down a Leisure Centre that provides facilities for 1000s of people, just to put 24 houses plus lose valuable parking for the doctors"
"If EFDC was to take Ongar Leisure Centre away what will be there for the children. It will only bring more crime. When I take my younger brother to football to center is packed full"
"Classes are always booked to the max. And you can't get in if you don't book 2 weeks in advance".
If the Leisure Centre were to close it deprive over a 1000 pupils of swimming lessons, 1200 fitness members of their facilities and numerous gymnastics, trampolining, badminton, netball and martial arts non member users and clubs.
This centre provides a focal point for our community and is so important for our social and physical well being. To lose this Centre would be a disaster and would leave a massive gap in peoples lives and take away the only leisure facility all ages can use.
