Official Statement: Newbiggin Sports and Community Hub
Newbiggin Town Council Update regarding Newbiggin Sports & Community Hub
We are aware of the growing concern among local residents following recent information circulating online regarding potential changes to the sports hall facilities at Newbiggin Sports & Community Hub.
We share our residents’ concerns and want to clarify the Town Council’s position, our role, and the actions we have already taken:
Newbiggin Town Council does not own, operate, or manage Newbiggin Sports Centre. The facility is owned by Northumberland County Council (NCC) and operated on their behalf by Places Leisure. The Town Council was not consulted by NCC, nor were we given any advance notice before information was shared publicly online.
Based on the information available, this proposal is currently an “agreement in principle” and not a finalised deal (with completion targeted for around September/October). There is still time for community voices to be heard.
The Town Council is actively standing up for our community. On Tuesday afternoon, we sent urgent correspondence directly to senior officers at Northumberland County Council challenging the complete lack of prior consultation and demanding answers.
In our formal correspondence with NCC, we explicitly highlighted the key issues affecting our town, including:
▪ The proposed loss of general public court access (5-a-side, netball, badminton, basketball).
▪ The unviability of expecting residents who rely on walking or public transport to travel out of town to alternative sites.
▪ The risk to council-funded local initiatives, such as Newbiggin Moves.
▪ The urgent need for better communication and transparency with local stakeholders.
Because the authority over this decision rests entirely with the County Council, we strongly encourage residents to also direct their comments and concerns directly to our ward representative on that authority:
County Councillor Ben Audsley via email – ben.audsley@northumberland.gov.uk
