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 Why save Lambs?
The 9 court facility in central London has been a centre of excellence for more than 25 years. Today a developer backed by the Duke of Buccleuch Scotland’s wealthiest landlord wants to turn it into a pedestrian 9 storey block of flats, depriving the local community of a strategic facility which can never be replaced. Squash ranks among the UK's top 10 priority sports. British players hold more Squash world titles and rankings than in any other sport. Government planning policy (PPG17) protects facilities that are not surplus to requirement. Lambs has more than 1100 members, some 50 leagues, two county teams, a vibrant squash ladder, and a thriving player and social community in the heart of the City. Some Islington planning officers think the Duke's flats are more important. We don’t. Nor do local councillors. So we're fighting to stop the Duke.
Backing us are key national and local figures and bodies. Join in if you care about the future of Squash in this country
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Why save Lambs
Local schools in
the area have indicated strong support for the idea of extending
junior squash opportunities into the community. This interest comes at
a time when both Government and the Local Authority are equally
concerned about serious obesity problems and an exercise malaise among
young and old.
Islington itself has produced a physical activity
strategy. Cllr George Allen, chairman of the South Area Planning Sub
Committee and the councilllor who in January 2006, sought to persuade
the committee to approve the recommendation to pull down Lambs, is
council's executive member tasked with " promoting physical activity - a strategy for Islington" . Download the strategy here.
It
urges cooperation between local private sports facilities and schools
in extending exercise benefits to young people. The sitting councillors
in Bunhill Ward (these include the current Mayor of Islington), Cllr
Jyoti Vaja, Cllr Donna Boffa and Cllr Ruth Polling, have all made clear
their opposition to the idea of destroying this facility particularly
because of the potential it offers for 7 day opening and junior squash
opportunities.
The Labour opposition councillors in the borough are equally appalled at the idea and have made their views very clear. Emily Thornberry the sitting Labour MP for Islington South and Finsbury wants Lambs saved. READ HER LETTER
Chris
Smith former Labour MP for Islington South wrote to the Minister of
State for Sport: “....I would be grateful if you would consider
intervening yourself in this matter given the impact that the closure
of the club may have on the future of the sport of squash, its current
bid for Olympic status and the subsequent possible implications of
London's 2012 bid for the Olympics..." ex-MP's view here:
Corporation of London's view(here):
“....Islington
will consult the Corporation on this planning application, and we shall
convey to them our views about the negative impact that closure would
have on the attractiveness of the City as a workplace and on public
health…
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