LETTER: Devastated if Broadbridge Heath ‘tube’ is lost

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To quote from the County Times: ‘The council has worked closely with partners and local clubs to develop a proposal that meets both the current needs and future aspirations of the community and the sports clubs that use the [Broadbridge Heath leisure]centre’.

One of these clubs is Horsham Blue Stars Athletics Club and I want to ask why the needs of the athletics club have effectively been ignored in all the main redevelopment plans - the only option which ensures that the club does not lose the indoor training facility, ‘the tube’, is option 1 in the plans, ie repairing the existing facility but considering the lack of upkeep that has been apparent since the existing building was made I am not convinced that this is a sustainable long term option.

My daughter (age 12) has been with Blue Stars for three years and a large percentage of her training in that time has taken place in the tube. As a talented high jumper (currently ranked number 1 at U13 in the UK) and hurdler (currently ranked number 2 in the UK U13) she trains frequently indoors in the tube area. Training includes practising hurdles and high jump as well as strength and conditioning exercises which form a core part of their strength development as they move up to U15. Having the facility has allowed her to train all year round even when the track is closed due to poor weather.

With no tube where would this be able to be done? There are always a large number of athletes training both indoors in the tube and outside on the track. Children of this age are too young to use the main gym equipment and the freedom the tube provides allows them to get in the habit of regular core strengthening exercise with low injury risk.

The tube is home to pole vault, high jump, hurdles, long jump, indoor throwing and strength and conditioning exercises - the club has a great reputation for producing talented high jumpers, hurdlers and pole vaulters and also attracts the most talented athletes from all over the county who come to BBH to train in the tube as there is no weather to get in the way. Having access to the indoor tube and track in the same location provides an invaluable training resource not met anywhere else in the county.

The Sussex athletics training squad meet monthly in the tube area over the winter. The indoor sprints and hurdles competition held in the tube in Jan/Feb allows athletes to try out the next height hurdles and distance when moving up an age group before the main competitions start in March. This helps build confidence for the main outdoor season and attracts athletes from a range of ages who come to compete. The other closest indoor facilities are Sutton and Ashford which are too far to travel to on a week night after school.

With plans for a huge redevelopment I cannot understand why the needs of this promising athletics group (which has been based at Broadbridge Heath for years) is being overlooked. If a redevelopment is planned why cannot we have an improved indoor training facility rather than none?