Plans for Threeways Centre - but details are being kept under wraps

The centre, at Nursery Lane, Ovenden, was controversially taken back into council control by the authority in March 2020 from the charity Centre at Threeways, which was run by a board of trustees and had been given a 125-year lease.

In the public question time section of July’s full council meeting, former Conservative councillor Andrew Tagg said the closure of the centre in 2020 had “robbed the people of Ovenden of a local sports facility”, and he said what had gone on was “a complete failure”.

He wanted to know whether the sports centre would be re-opened, yes or no.

Housed in the former Ridings school building, the centre’s gym and sports hall were particularly well used, groups using the site had argued at the time.

Responding, Cabinet member for Regeneration and Strategy, Coun Jane Scullion (Lab, Luddenden Foot) said the council did not close the centre but took it back into the authority’s control because of safety issues and considerable investment had been puit into it since.

She said the centre had many positive outcomes since 2012 but when the council became of the health and safety issues it had no option but to respond decisively.

The onset of the pandemic made the site very difficult to use but some provision has continued, such as the much-valued food bank, said Coun Scullion.

“The council has also been in conversation with a prospective new tenant.

“Alongside this, in response to the operational and financial challenges, the council has overseen a feasability study.

“This has identified a number of options and the costs attached to them.

“This has identified a number of options that are currently under consideration.

“It is therefore too early for me to be specific about exactly what provision will be made on the site but we are committed to provision in north Halifax, that is demonstrated through a number of significant developments,” she said.

Mr Tagg also raised another ongoing issue relating to residents’ of Jumples Cragg, Mixenden, concern over the road being used as a “rat run”.

Coun Scullion said consultation was ongoing with residents who would be consulted further when options were considered.

She was aware it might not be everything residents hoped for but the council would try its best to accomodate their concerns. The council was looking at a potential weight limit for the route, but to introduce that certain conditions had to be met.

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