Campaigner for new pump track in Oswestry says similar facility helped save his life

Theo Merchant, who works in Mule Bike shop on Salop Road, is calling on Shropshire Council to transfer a piece of land next to Oswestry Leisure centre to the town council so that the facility could become a reality. Currently, many youngsters use a hill fort as a pump track, which causes environmental damage.

Planning permission for a BMX track next to the leisure centre was granted as far back as 2008, while Oswestry Town Council has said it can fund it using money from the sale of the old Smithfield site more than a decade ago.

Alongside former mayor Olly Rose, Mr Merchant set up a petition for the transfer to happen, which reached 423 signatures.

Shropshire Council’s Economy and Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee discussed it on July 10 and heard that Mr Merchant is passionate about the value of outdoor sport facilities for young people.

“At 14, living in a council estate in Wolverhampton with high crime rates where his life could easily have taken a different direction, he felt he was saved by going to the newly-built skatepark there, along with lots of other young people,” said Ms Rose.

“Shropshire Council holds a statutory duty under the Education Act 1996 to ensure that there is sufficient educational and recreational youth activitites.

“Oswestry is the second largest town in Shropshire, yet doesn’t have this type of facility. Yet, Shrewsbury has several and Ellesmere is about to get one with a receipt of £20,000 from Shropshire Council.

“Planning permission was granted for a BMX facility back in 2008 on this site, demonstrating its suitability for this type of facility. But it didn’t materialise, and a generation of young people missed out.

“We are hoping the new adminstration will show leadership and help bring this project to reality. The town council has both the money and the will to complete it.”

Councillor James Owen, portfolio holder for housing and leisure, is also an Oswestry town councillor. He said the transfer could be made through a lease of part of the land rather than the whole parcel under condition of the specific use as stated.

Councillor Chris Naylor (Lib Dem, Burnell) said: “It has wider ramifications to the council for listening to young people on particular projects. Do we need to be reviewing how good we are at listening to local requests and working with young people to help meet their needs?”

Councillor Donna Edmunds (Independent, Hodnet) added that people get frustrated with “common-sense decisions” that take a long time to sort, and this is something that the committee should maybe look at.

“I am curious: if planning permission was granted in 2008, why [has] nothing gone ahead?” she said.

“There’s space, there’s a public need, and there’s money. ”

Councillor Ed Potter (Conservative, Loton), who was chairing the committee, said, that should the facility not be used, work may need to be done to ensure it reverts back to Shropshire to used for a similar facility. Councillor Alan Holford (Lib Dem, Wem) added that he has also seen a lot of pump tracks under-utilised, and thinks Oswestry Town Council should ask people to help design it.

Members agreed to pass the petition to the relevant portfolio holder to explore the most appropriate route of transferring the land.