School sports village on way

These exclusive pictures reveal the stunning new sports facilities nearing completion at Herne Bay High School. Said to be the best of any school in the county, they will form part of a sports village complex which will also be available for community use.

The £51 million project, which includes a new gym at the Heron Leisure Centre, has a huge main “arena” hall for roller hockey, indoor football, basketball and bowls, with 412 spectator seats. Contractors are putting the finishing touches to the work and the facilities are expected to be formally opened after the summer holidays.

The scheme has been jointly funded by the city council and Buildings Schools for the Future and will relocate roller hockey and other sporting activities from the old Pier Pavilion so it can be demolished. City council finance portfolio holder Cllr Peter Lee said:

“It proves we made the right decision to go into partnership with the school because we could not have done it alone. Refurbishing the pavilion would have cost the same but the facilities and public access would not have been anywhere near as good. What we have now is superb sporting facilities which must be the best of any school in the county. It’s a very good deal for everyone."

The sports village also includes a new four-court hall and gymnastic hall, and all the facilities will be available to the public when not in school use. They will complement the existing outside facilities which includes a full-size synthetic football pitch, three floodlit tennis/ netball courts, a multi-use games area, climbing walls (both indoor and outdoor), two full-size football pitches, a summer grass athletics track, a junior football pitch, a 24-station fitness gym and coaching education areas.

The health and fitness facilities at the pier are also being moved to the upgraded Herons Leisure Centre, which it is said will rival the quality of private-sector health clubs. As soon as the new facilities are ready for use, work can start on demolishing the Pier Pavilion, which is expected to start in September.

HB Gazette 23rd Jun 2011 by Gerry Warren

Asbestos work adds £¼m to Pier costs

The cost of demolishing the Herne Bay pier pavilion has risen dramatically because much higher quantities of asbestos than expected have been discovered in the building. The city council had originally budgeted £425,000 but the latest structural survey has revealed the full extent of extra work needed.

Now the lowest acceptable tender from a specialist demolition company is nearly £668,000 - £243,000 more than expected. The new figures were revealed to members of the council executive on Thursday which agreed to fund the extra cost. Cllr Peter Vickery-Jones said:

"This is a huge increase but there is no alternative. We have to find the money because we can't leave the building as it is."

Cllr Peter Lee added:

"The pier is a key part of Herne Bay's regeneration and investment in the town. But it will enable its replacement with something more for tourists which will provide an income for the Pier Trust."

Pier Trust chairman Julian Jennings told the executive he hoped there would not be any delays because it wanted the pier platform to be available for summer activities in 2012.

The contract is now expected to last 24 weeks and work is expected to start in the autumn when the sports facilities, currently housed in the pavilion, are transferred to a new sports centre at Herne Bay High School.

HB Gazette 23rd Jun 2011

Pavilion demolition will now take longer

Council bosses will have to pay an extra £218,000 to knock down Herne Bay's dilapidated pier pavilion after deadly asbestos was found in the building. Contractors surveying the aging sports centre – due to be demolished because it is too expensive to maintain – made the bombshell discovery last month. It was revealed to the city council's ruling executive committee on Thursday, and Pier Trust chairman Julian Jennings told councillors the group was concerned the discovery could lead to delays. He said:

"It could affect our 2012 summer programme when the whole country is celebrating the Olympics and the Queen's golden jubilee. The pier should be offering a programme of events that appeal both to residents and visitors and reflect these celebrations. If the opportunity is lost because of delays it would not reflect well on the town."

But officials said they were confident the work would finish in time, and stressed how important it was to the town. The historic pier was first built in 1831 and has been rebuilt twice since them. In 1978 a severe storm demolished part of it, leaving the pier head stranded at sea. Herne and Broomfield councillor Peter Vickery-Jones said officials would select the best contractor for the job rather than the cheapest. He added:

"It is a huge increase but we have no option. It needs to be done properly. It is not an option to leave the building as it is. We need to find the money and we should get on and do it."

West Bay councillor Peter Lee said the project would remain a priority, despite the increasing cost.

"To refurbish the building or rebuild it elsewhere would have cost £3.5 million. That is about the same as we have spent on Herons and Herne Bay High School."

The building is due to be cleared in September and demolition work will start in October.