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16-Nov-05:
Big Shots Try To Save Lambs
from the Islington Gazette
THE BATTLE to save one of the UK's
leading squash centres has received a massive boost from Sport
England.
The organisation - responsible for developing sporting facilities in
the UK - has lodged a six-page objection to controversial proposals
to knock down the Lamb's Squash Club, Lamb's Passage,
Finsbury, and build a block of flats there.
Clan Real Estates - which bought the club from ex-squash star
Mike Corby for £4million - has submitted a revised planning
application after the first was rejected back in May.
But the developers face strong opposition from more than 600
objectors, including the powerful voice of Sport England.
Sport England senior planning manager Peter Durrans said:
"The loss of the nine-court Lambs Club would be thoroughly
detrimental to Islington's sporting infrastructure and to the
Government's aim of promoting a healthy lifestyle.
"Its closure, which could happen as early as February, would
threaten London's reputation as the world capital of squash and a
hub for the international squash scene."
And in another twist, calls have been made for Mike Corby to stand
down from his role as president of England Squash.
Lamb's Action Team spokesman Ken Pottinger, who put the
motion forward at England Squash's general meeting two weeks ago,
said: "There is a real conflict of interest which needs to be
recognised.
"On the one hand he is responsible for promoting squash and fighting
to get squash recognised but on the other hand he has sold off one
of the best facilities in the country to allow developers to turn it
into flats."
But Mr Corby said that his decision was not motivated by personal
financial gain but the need to pay off his debts.
"I would have loved to have not had to sell Lamb's but it was no
longer financially viable.
"I have devoted my whole life to forwarding the cause of squash but
I was forced to sell if I wanted to keep my other clubs going.
"The sale of Lamb's is one of the great shames of my life but I feel
extremely hurt and angered by this vindictive campaign against me."
No comment was available from Clan Real Estates as the Gazette went
to press.
from the Islington Gazette
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Queen's to go too?
Just as Lambs members are trying to
save their squash club, members at Queen's club, home of the
Stella Artois tennis championships in West London, are also trying
to fight off property developers, after the LTA (Lawn Tennis
Association) announced the sale of the club in preparation for
moving to its new headquarters in Roehampton.
LTA
announce sale
Members raise £5m |
Lambs
Appeal
the original story
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05-Oct-05:
Lambs Latest
Lambs Club members are stepping up their campaign to block the
planning application to demolish London's premier squash facility
and turn it into a block of flats.
Developers Clan Estates has just submitted two amended planning
applications to Islington Council to redevelop the site, but Lambs
Action Team (LAT) is urging club members to continue the fight by
writing to the local authority to object. It is also setting up a
website petition to rally support nationwide.
A spokesman for LAT said that so far nearly 40 members had filed
written objections, adding: "Neither new application appears to
address the issue of the Lambs sporting facility, namely saving our
squash club. We have briefed a planning consultant who will lodge a
formal planning objection on our behalf. We assume Clan hopes to
prove there is no demand for a squash club on the site or in the
area. We have 900 playing members at Lambs and we know that players
and members will demonstrate the hollowness of that proposition."
LAT is continuing its campaign to have Lambs owner Mike Corby
removed as president of England Squash. A LAT member said: "It is
farcical that a man who is knocking down the last remaining squash
club in the city of London should be president of the national
governing body.
"We are all tremendously proud of the history and heritage of the
club and grateful to Mike Corby for providing such a fabulous venue
with such a phenomenal atmosphere. However, we simply fail to
understand why someone with his background in squash should wish to
knock down the last great London club.
"The Lambs show court is one of the best in the world, and Jahangir
Khan has gone on record to say just that. With squash still fighting
for a place in the Olympic Games we need a high-profile squash club
in the city of London.
"Lambs is famous for hosting the world's leading professionals who
have delighted audiences at the club down the years, but we also
have a solid squash-playing membership who are fighting hard to stop
the club being demolished and turned into yet another apartment
block. London needs more squash courts."
The switch of the British Open from London to Manchester killed
plans for a possible protest at the qualifying rounds and age-group
competitions that were due to be held at Lambs.
Owner Corby, who was an international at both squash and hockey, has
sold the club to Clan Estates and is leasing it back until its
planned closure in the spring of 2006.
After the first planning application to redevelop the site was
successfully blocked on May 10, Corby retaliated by barring two LAT
members, Ken Pottinger and Tania Loughran, from the club. |
Lambs
Appeal
the original story
Corby on
the Radio
transcript & audio
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