Mansfield MP says there is 'no truth' in rumours that Mansfield Woodhouse sports complex will become housing

The announcement on social media was met with concern from sports teams who fear that many would fold due to a lack of suitable facilities in the area.

MP Ben Bradley met with the trust, which operates The Manor Academy, after their statement said that the current climate had made it ‘unfeasible’ to reopen its outdoor facilities to the community.

The MP and leader of Nottinghamshire County Council sought to understand what alternatives have been looked at, and wants to assure residents that there is ‘no truth’ in the rumours that the site will be sold off to developers.

Mr Bradley explained: “I've been to see the Two Counties Trust along with representatives from North Notts Hockey Club.

"We had a good and open conversation about the reasons for the trust's decision to limit access to the wider community.

“In short, it's because the facility has been making a loss, even pre-covid, and they don’t feel they can continue to subsidise from the school budget outside of school times.

“Though the closure is incredibly frustrating, that is nonetheless a fair reasoning.”

The MP says the school is ‘committed to exploring’ ideas over the coming weeks.“We had a good conversation about some potential options to unlock some elements of it” he continued.

“In the short term we're going to look at options like remote access to outdoor facilities.

“These are not straightforward, but the school has committed to exploring these ideas over the coming weeks to try and get some elements of the site available.“For my part, I am going to pick up with the council to see what is possible in the longer term.

"I'm desperate to ensure that we don't see another Meden Sports Centre scenario.”

He also wanted to reassure residents that the centre would not be closing completely.

He explained: “There is a contractual duty to provide a sports hall for the school so the centre isn't going anywhere.

“There is no truth to the rumour about house-building on the site, and I can be pretty clear about that, because it belongs to the County Council.

“The centre will also remain available during school opening hours, which run weekdays into the early evening, so there are still opportunities for some community use as things stand.”

A spokesperson for the trust, said: “We have made the difficult decision having fully investigated what is required to open these facilities to the community, including the necessary staffing, health and safety legislation and considering the impact it would have on the school.

“We have not come to this decision lightly, and have reviewed facilities in the locality to ensure there are alternative recreational facilities for community use.

“We appreciate the impact this might have on some and apologise for any inconvenience this might cause, but hope people will understand the extreme pressures at this challenging time for so many organisations.

“We are committed to providing a high-quality education and work to provide as many opportunities as possible to our pupils, and we have made this decision in order to be able to keep delivering on that promise.”

READ MORE: Further blow to grassroots sports as Trust announces cuts to more Notts community facilities

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