Former council chief slates Magnum plans

Mar 2 2012 by Lorraine Howard, Irvine Herald

A FORMER council convener is behind a move to scupper Irvines new s16 million leisure centre.

Ex Bourtreehill councillor Stewart Dewar wants the cash ploughed into modernising the existing Magnum.

He hit out this week after reading about the plans for the replacement Magnum in last weeks Irvine Herald.

North Ayrshire Council propose to put the centre on the site next to the Townhouse at a cost of s16 million.

Though, in a strange move, the plans were pulled just hours before being considered at a full council meeting last Wednesday.

Mr Dewar a former leisure convener said he wanted the local authority to re-think their plans and invest their money in the existing Magnum.

The 75-year-old said: Its madness. Honestly, I can only describe this as the craziest thing I have ever heard.

I cannot believe with the state of the parking in Irvine town centre that this is the chosen site for the new Magnum.

I was a councillor for 27 years and I can remember studies being carried out in the town centre to look at congestion.

At the time there were concerns that there was too much traffic and it was affecting the air we were breathing.

So, to bring a leisure centre into the heart of the town is ridiculous in my book.

I have written to the council and expressed my views and I hope people in the town agree with me.

Why dont they invest in the Magnum where it is or even look at a site like the Playing Fields. Theres plenty space and potentially lots of parking for everyone, instead of people being crammed into a tiny car park in East Road.

Last week plans for the new state-of-the-art leisure centre were lodged with the council.

The neighbouring Townhouse will be transformed into a local history and tourist attraction.

The Townhouse will also house the registration services and host civic receptions and events, as well as being a healthy living centre to tie in with the adjoining leisure centre.

Last week the Irvine Herald highlighted the lack of car parking.

Ideas for a multi-storey had been shelved and instead planners had pencilled in a small car park in East Road for parking for the centre.

But this has only 32 spaces.

Mr Dewar went on: I hear the plans have been pulled for now. I bet they come back with parking on them.