Plans to go ahead with a new masterplan to develop Basingstoke Leisure Park have been called in and may be reviewed.

The council’s cabinet agreed to approve a masterplan for the site, which was put together by the council along with BDP and JLL last year, at its January 10 meeting.

But eight councillors, mostly Labour and independent, have challenged the Conservative-run council’s decision and have taken the matter to the scrutiny committee on February 14 in a bid to have it sent back to cabinet.

Councillors, who argued the masterplan lacked vision at the January 10 meeting, set out their two grounds for a call-in which are published in the reports ahead of the scrutiny committee’s February 14 meeting.

The first is: “The masterplan lacks vision. Alternative options were put forward in the council motion: a 50-metre pool, a snow dome, and a multi-use sports stadium.

“No evidence was presented that the layout in the papers could accommodate a 50-metre pool, or a snow dome, which would require layout changes due to their size – therefore the cabinet made the decision based on incomplete information.”

And the second that: “The motion from council and the councillor testimonies on the night were not given due consideration by cabinet. This decision appears to be a done deal, right down to ordering of the items on the paper, with the unchanged master plan appearing immediately after the referred motion asking cabinet not to proceed with the master plan in its current form.

“The cabinet portfolio-holder had issued a statement in anticipation of the decision being passed.”

The scrutiny committee has only two possible decisions; to refer the matter back to cabinet or allow the initial approval of the masterplan to stand.

If the objectors are successful and the matter is referred back to the council’s cabinet, the cabinet will have 10 days to reconsider and make a final decision. 

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