Councillor fears Christie Miller site will go to waste

A LOCAL councillor has urged Wiltshire Council to decide quickly what should be done with the site of Christie Miller Sports Centre so that it can be used as much-needed employment land.

Chair of  Melksham Without Parish Council, Richard Wood, expressed his concerns in response to the news that Wiltshire Council has no plans for the facility for the forseeable future after boarding the building up and making it secure.

Speaking at this month’s Melksham Area Board meeting, cllr Wood said, “I’m concerned about the future of Christie Miller – you say the facility will be boarded and made secure, but we all know that Wiltshire Council is strapped for cash, and we all know that Bowerhill industrial estate is very short of employment land – there seems an obvious synergy there that you’d want to go ahead as soon as possible and decide what to do with that building. Maybe stripping it down like the other warehouses nearby and making it available for sale.

“I have a horrible feeling that we’ll be looking up there in a year’s time and beyond and the building will be boarded and secure still! What is the process for Wiltshire Council to get on and make some money and provide some employment land for Melksham?”

In response, head of community development for Wiltshire Council, Louise Cary said, “That process will be handled by our properties department – there are no concrete plans for that property at the moment and I understand that once there are some options, they will be put forward to the cabinet to make a decision as to what happens on that building.”

At the meeting it was decided that cllr Wood’s question would be taken to Wiltshire Council’s cabinet to answer. Rumours that the Christie Miller building has been purchased by a wine merchant were also dismissed.