De Montfort University denies claim it has halted sports centre plan
De Montfort University has denied claims it has shelved plans for its new sports centre in Leicester.
Rumours that the university has halted the project for financial reasons were strongly refuted after a comment was posted on Facebook suggesting the development had been postponed.
The claim was made by Andy Seaton, a member of the Remember The Pump and Tap and the Bowstring Bridge group on the social networking website.
DMU said it needed to demolish the 112-year-old Bowstring Bridge and Pump and Tap pub before Christmas so that work on the new centre could begin as soon as possible. But Mr Seaton's post claimed: "I have word from someone closely linked with De Montfort University that they are now talking about ruling out building the swimming pool because it may no longer be economically feasible at that site.
"Am I wrong, but wasn't the whole case put forward by the council and DMU that the bridge had to go in order to make way for the extension of the sports centre and to fit the pool?"
A DMU spokesman said nothing had been postponed and the project would go ahead as planned.
A spokesman for the university said: "I would like to stress there is no truth in these rumours.
"As we have previously said, our aim is to complete the preparation of the site.
"We will then go through the process of putting out tenders for the design and obtaining planning consent.
"Once we have reached this stage, we will seek tenders to construct the new sports centre.
"This overall process, as you can appreciate, can take a while to complete."
The university said there were no plans to transform the site into a car park, or create an alternative use for the former Pump and Tap site.
The Bowstring Bridge – which was regarded by many people as an important part of Leicester's heritage – was demolished at the beginning of December. Thousands of people had opposed the university's plans to remove the 19th-century structure and the Pump and Tap pub, in Duns Lane.
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Leicester Civic Society chairman Stuart Bailey said: "Both structures were historically important to Leicester.
"It's a real shame that DMU thought it was acceptable to demolish them.
"A member of the Civic Society put a Freedom of Information request to DMU in September to ask what their plans for the site were.
"They said there were no plans to give.
"I don't understand why they were so desperate to knock the pub and bridge down."
15 Comments
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by John, Worcestershire
Wednesday, December 23 2009, 11:29AM
“Yes - Leicester City Council are a complete joke. Great pub gone. Granby Halls gone. Town centre paving looks awful - at what cost. Town in 'soulless' Problems with financing at DeMont Hall. Suck up to DMU who are in no rush to build. LCC don't 'really' listen, they are and always have been a little red dictat.”
by Dodgite, Braunstone
Tuesday, December 22 2009, 2:44PM
“I blame the Leicester City Council for this mishap. They are a joke and will always carry on being a joke. Only they could go through with something as stupid as this!”
by Paul, Oadby
Tuesday, December 22 2009, 1:00PM
“So as a many people thought, there are no plans for the new building and the builders will not be starting on the project before Christmas, so why was the pub pulled down so quick?
If the plans never existed why did they need to proceed with the demolition so quick other projects normally have plans and permission in place before anything is demolished unless it is unsafe. A temporary licence could have been sought and the staff would have still had their jobs and the pub would have been open over Christmas as usual. Why are the arches still there? there is definitely something fishy about this whole saga.”
by Anna Key, Leicester
Tuesday, December 22 2009, 12:31PM
“The reason that there is doubt over the intentions on DMU is the speed that they moved on the demolition of a bridge that took up no building space whatsoever and a popular local public house that took up 5% of the land. The viaducts still stand solidly (built to last for 300 years) and take up 50% of the plot of land. It is these that block any redevelopment of the land although upto 200 cars could be parked that would increase DMU's local offroad private parking to 850. Has the council thought of all the money to be made from workplace parking tax?
It is true that DMU can go on to have plans drawn up but as for implimenting them, this must be viewed with considerable scepticism in view of recent behaviour. The Mercury has acted honourably throughout this debacle - forfilling it's role as a local investigative newspaper who won't let this pernient matter to slide from public memory as much as LCC and DMU would wish!”
by Julie, West End, Leicester
Tuesday, December 22 2009, 12:10PM
“What did we all say? It'll be a car park for years while plans are 'finalised'. Nice and handy for the staff and students, but the biggest pools there are likely to be the puddles in winter...”