The proposed sports hub at Ashton Park The councillor overseeing controversial plans for a radical revamp of Preston’s Ashton Park says he has not ruled o
The councillor overseeing controversial plans for a radical revamp of Preston’s Ashton Park says he has not ruled out a rethink of the project.It comes after locals accused Preston City Council of incorrectly suggesting that government funding rules meant it had no room for manoeuvre over the design of the scheme.
But he also warned that any wholesale changes could have consequences for other aspects of the Ashton Park vision – as well as for separate schemes for which the authority has received Levelling Up funding, including a replacement for the long-closed Old Tram Bridge in Avenham Park. At the time, the council said that the comment had been made in response to a call to spend the money elsewhere and that, because it had been awarded for Ashton Park, Preston “could risk losing the funding if it isn’t spent in line with the proposals that were put forward to the government”.But James says that campaigners have since found government guidance which shows that Levelling Up Fund projects are permitted to be revised – in some cases without even needing government approval.
James says that those rules give Preston City Council all the flexibility it needs to come up with a proposal that would address the concerns of locals who do not want such a large area of Ashton Park’s surface to be sacrificed. He added that the sports hub building could go on the site of the disused pavilion that currently stands on the fringes of the park, noting that a soon-to-be relocated council compound behind the derelict structure would provide even more space for the new facility, which he said could emulate the successful Lowther Pavilion in Lytham and be used for community events and shows.
“Plus, Moor Park has already got a big car park, it’s already had a lot of concrete poured onto it for the skate park and it’s already got a big building on it. I’m just saying that it’s an alternative.Cllr Bailey told the LDRS that such sweeping changes would be akin to something approaching a “90 percent” shift from the original plans – and so would undoubtedly require government authorisation.
“But that doesn’t mean it’s out of the question, though, just to reassure residents,” Cllr Bailey said. He did not close the door on the kind of changes that the Fight for Ashton Park group might like to see – but warned that any rethink could have a knock-on effect and probably hinged on the attitude that the government took to any suggested amendments.
“The people who are dead against the project happy with that, but then people on the other side , who want the 3G pitch, they’re not going to be happy.“When I’m presented with the business case and the report about the consultation – and when we’ve got the report] ready to go to full council – it can be shared with all the elected members and then we can make an informed decision,” Cllr Bailey said.
“I want to assure you that if we do the proposals and…we build it and then Preston North End Community Trust submit an application to run it as an academy, I’m very sure that’s not in our favour and to that community use.
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