A LOTTERY bid by East Herts Council and St Mary's Catholic School to improve and extend sport facilities in Bishop's Stortford has been rejected by Sport England.

The partnership application for £2.8m was submitted last September to help towards providing new changing rooms and an extended gym at Grange Paddocks, and a six-court sports hall, netball courts and two multi-use games areas at St Mary's School in Windhill.

The overall cost of the scheme was estimated at £4.8m.

The need for the facilities was identified following an audit of sports provision in the town, but Sport England decided not to support the project because it failed to meet key criteria. The body felt there was a lack of strategic need for the scale and mix of the proposed facilities and raised concerns over whether the project would reach priority groups such as families on lower income, ethnic minorities or the disabled.

The panel also felt there was insufficient evidence to show the project would increase participation in sport in the town.

Councillor Bob Parker, who has supported the project for several years, said Bishop's Stortford had "suffered long enough from lack of sporting facilities" and was disappointed by the decision. Mr Parker now plans to meet governors at St Mary's to arrange a meeting with Sport England to discuss the decision.

Governor Tony Barrance said: "The refusal does not alter the fact that Bishop's Stortford and its surrounding communities are woefully short of public sport facilities and there's a desperate need for a sport infrastructure to be put in place."

January 29, 2003 09:00