My name is Sophie and I am a student at the Billericay School.
Situated in Basildon, Essex is Gloucester Park. Gloucester Park is home to many training facilities, including the brand new Sporting Village. The Basildon Sporting Village has been very popular, having around 60,000 visits in the past 50 days, plus an estimated 4,000 members – of those 4,000, 2,500 joined the gym, and 1,500 joined the swimming pool.
The training arena has only been open for a month and a half; however, recent news has been heard that there are already plans to build around 500 houses on the estate. Not only has it been rumoured to build onto the new Olympic training area, but also in the old Gloucester Park swimming area – which is often used by schools around the Billericay and Basildon area – and a former cricket pavilion, and the grandstand of Basildon athletics track, which will cost at least £530,000 to knock down.
An article, written by the Basildon Recorder says:
‘Basildon Council decided to tear down the grandstand and changing facilities at the athletics track as part of improvements being made to the venue under the £35million sports village development, being built nearby’
Many Basildon locals were slightly annoyed with what the Basildon Council had decided, without going through it with any of the locals beforehand, as a lot of them had their own opinions about this. However, the Essex County Council provided the money for knocking down the former cricket pavilion, and the grandstand of Basildon athletics track, though no news for knocking down the old Gloucester Park swimming area has been confirmed.
The Basildon Council has also decided to knock down the empty Murrayfield Pavilion, for health and safety reasons.
