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Question Councillor Ted Kemble about the King Alfred

11:05am Friday 21st November 2008 in


The man in charge of the future of the King Alfred will be answering your questions today.

Coun Kemble will respond to your queries online between midday and 1pm.

To leave a question fill in the form above.

Comments(16)

minimee says...
11:18am Fri 21 Nov 08

it seems the 1.5 million is a make do and mend policy,i would like to see a full revamp of the ka and the bowling alley reopened.i think the primary school idea is good too.surely the maitenance monies saved over the years could be used now.

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Friday Inquisition says...
12:05pm Fri 21 Nov 08

You have acknowledged there is a need to build a primary school in the area, so are you going to build one?

Darren Lockley

According to the projected figures we have on young children entering the primary school system we have identified a need for a further primary school in central Hove. Unfortunately, the King Alfred site is not big enough to build a new primary school. As you know planning consent exists for a first-class leisure centre within an enabling development of 750 housing units. My understanding of the local plan is that this site is not available for development as a primary school.

TK


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minimee says...
12:10pm Fri 21 Nov 08

the local plan was ignored when they were going to build the extra housing why can't the same happen regarding the primary school?

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Friday Inquisition says...
12:11pm Fri 21 Nov 08

As the previous admin were allowed to steer away from he local plan to build extra housing on the king alfred site could the same be done to build a primary school on the site?

Also, will the slide be fixed as part of the 1.5 million repairs? and the 300,000 in legal fees,could the in house legal team be used to reduce these fees? in the future could the bowling alley be reopened? and the cafe?

mrs stack

Planning consent for the King Alfred site exists for a first-class leisure centre with an enabling development of 750 housing units. My understanding of the local plan is that the site is not available for development as a primary school.

Part of the £1.5 million expenditure will be used on urgent health and safety issues. The result of this will be the demolition and removal of the flumes. As for the bowling alley and the café, the administration is considering all the available options for the site.

TK

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Friday Inquisition says...
12:18pm Fri 21 Nov 08

Do you think Gehry or any other high-profile architect might be involved in any future plans for The King Alfred site? Or is this it now, are we going to have to put up with the ugly building we’ve got there for the foreseeable future?

Amy

I think it is highly unlikely that Mr Gehry will be involved in any future plans for the King Alfred. However, once the administration has looked at the development brief for the site, another high-profile architect might show an interest in future plans.

Until the administration has considered all the available options the King Alfred will remain open as a leisure centre for the foreseeable future.

TK

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minimee says...
12:25pm Fri 21 Nov 08

regarding the 150 million made available for free swimming for the over 60's,will you be applying for this?also you say the permission exists for 750 flats-that figure was a gross overdevelopment,i hope that plan will not be implemented in the furure.

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Friday Inquisition says...
12:33pm Fri 21 Nov 08

How do you propose to get residents views on what should happen to the site? How are you colaborating with them?

Caroline Davis

Thank you for your questions Caroline.

When the administration has firm proposals on how the King Alfred Complex should be taken forward, we will consult with residents, stakeholders and partners on those proposals.

TK

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Friday Inquisition says...
12:41pm Fri 21 Nov 08

Why can't there be a better balance between funding of the King Alfred and the Brighton Centre?

David Wilkins

The King Alfred and Brighton Centre projects are two totally separate development projects. Funding for the various developments that are being undertaken within the city comes from the developers backing the individual projects and therefore it is impossible for funds to be switched between the schemes.

TK

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Friday Inquisition says...
12:51pm Fri 21 Nov 08

Why can't we build a olympic competition size pool, Competition Standard Indoor Bowls and general sports centre that embraces the community and sea front?

This needs to be very simple but something we're all proud of.

Can you confirm that your not giving up the fight on this. I did hear that a local architect practice worked on alternative plans, to show the council what could be achieved without mass housing on the site, as in the last scheme - is this a viable option still?

matthew saul

Thank you for your email Mr Saul.

We can’t build an Olympic-size competition pool because the Sports Council decides the location of these. I can assure you that this administration is not giving up on providing first class sports facilities at this location. I am not aware that a local architectural practice had worked on alternative plans. I will in the next few days make enquiries to see if this is the case and if you are happy for me to be given your email address I will come back to you when I have further information.

`TK

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Friday Inquisition says...
12:55pm Fri 21 Nov 08

is the King Alfred really as bad as everyone says? i recokn its alright, i play footy there and dont know what all the fuss is about!

Skunky

Hello Skunky.

The King Alfred has not had any real maintenance carried out on it for nearly 10 years and as such is starting to look tired. I am pleased to see that you are a regular user of the centre and hope that once the necessary repairs have been carried out you will continue to use the facilities there.

TK

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Friday Inquisition says...
1:07pm Fri 21 Nov 08

A year or so back I visited the southern French town of Montpelier (similar size to Brighton and Hove) where they had a lovely modern swimming pool complex with a proper 50 metre sized pool for swimmers and a number of others catering for the full range of swimming activities that a community requires. It was enclosed in a modern glass structure that blended well with the surrounding architecture and created a nice airy and peaceful environment within the pool complex. Why can't we have a similar sort of complex here?

Ps I liked the alternative design offered by the architect who designed the new Brighton library which included a 50 metre pool.

John Parker




Thank you for your email Mr Parker,

I note the comments that you have made about the swimming pool complex in Montpelier, France. The design of any new leisure centre will be totally subject to how the architect interprets the design brief.

As I’ve mentioned already the Sports Council is unlikely to agree to a 50-metre pool in the city.

TK


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Friday Inquisition says...
1:15pm Fri 21 Nov 08

Friday Inquisition, Brighton says...
12:28pm Fri 21 Nov 08

Hi,

Can you tell me

a) Will you need to close the kind alfred centre for this upgrade?

b) As a member of the prince regent, will the centre join the other facilities in the town and be run by DC leisure?

c) When will the town get a 50-meter pool?

Kind regards

Marty

Thank you for your email Marty in which you raise concerns about the King Alfred Leisure Centre.

A. As I stated yesterday in cabinet, it is in the administration’s intention to keep the King Alfred open whilst the health and safety and urgent works are completed. However, one of the options under consideration is to close certain areas whilst the work is being carried out i.e. close the dry side to complete urgent works whilst keeping the wet side open and vice versa.

B. There are no plans for the king Alfred to be run by DC Leisure.

C. A 50-metre pool is not planned for the city. The Sports Council decides the location of 50-metre pools throughout the country.

TK

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Charismatic Andrew says...
1:15pm Fri 21 Nov 08

Cllr Kemble,

Can you please try and get your facts right? The Sports Council does not decide the location of Olympic-size swimming pools.

Individual councils decide whether they plan to build an Olympic-size swimming pools. They then go to SPORT ENGLAND with their proposals and possible funding. Not the other way around. By the way it hasn't been called the Sports Council for ages.

Regards Andrew.

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Friday Inquisition says...
1:20pm Fri 21 Nov 08

I would like to take this opportunity to thank everybody that has emailed in with their questions and comments. I will arrange for responses to be sent to those of you whose questions I didn’t have time to answer.

TK

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Glenda says...
1:33pm Fri 21 Nov 08

Charismatic Andrew wrote:
Cllr Kemble, Can you please try and get your facts right? The Sports Council does not decide the location of Olympic-size swimming pools. Individual councils decide whether they plan to build an Olympic-size swimming pools. They then go to SPORT ENGLAND with their proposals and possible funding. Not the other way around. By the way it hasn't been called the Sports Council for ages. Regards Andrew.
Exactly.

Hillingdon Council are building a new 50m pool and refurbishing an outdoor 1930's Lido. Total cost £22million and no greedy developers involved. They went to Sports Council (or Sports England) for funding and got £1.5million.

So a 50m pool does not have to be ruled out through misinformation.

I also like Mr Kembles' comments that when they have a plan for the King Alfred they will consult the local people. How is that Public Consultation?




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bug eye says...
12:07am Sun 23 Nov 08

mr. kemble obviously has not got a clue about major development and we will wait a long time and a lot of wasted money if you think he will do anything in our lifetime, just look at the state of wish ward that he represents, the seafront area there is hideous.

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