Crisis meeting planned after fears Sandye Place could become care home and 'massive' housing estate

Sandy Town Council has announced that it will hold an emergency meeting tomorrow (May 31), as it aims to discuss tactics to stop the proposals from progressing.

The action comes after the long-term future of the site, which has been empty since the school closed in 2019, is set to be considered at Central Bedfordshire Council’s next executive committee meeting on Tuesday (June 4).

CBC says Sandy has had “relatively low” levels of housing growth in recent years and says “more people living centrally in Sandy would boost footfall to the high street, supporting local shops and businesses." More here...

However, Sandy Town Councillor, Nigel Aldis, claimed: "The Executive Committee of CBC is being asked to approve a consultation which will see a modern care home built on the site. The rest of the very large open space will be sold of to developers to build a massive housing estate. Gone forever will be the home of the annual carnival, the garden and craft show, and other major events like the Coronation Big Lunch. There will be no location for an improved GP centre, a museum, meeting rooms, leisure hall, swimming pool or any of the other venues on the local wish list.

"It is too important to let the bureaucrats in Chicksands ignore the wishes of local people. It is time to stand up and be counted."

The crisis meeting was called for by Cllr Aldis and Cllr Colin Osborne who aim to "discuss tactics to thwart the plan".

If approved, the 12 week consultation proposals include: improving care home provision; a youth centre; selling off part of the site and using the money for other investments.

Councillor Aldis claimed: "I don't have a lot of faith that consultations are what they say they are. Very often they are a box-ticking exercise. It's so important that we couldn't wait for it to go to a normal meeting.

"We are confident that we can come up with tactics to try and overturn this proposal and galvanise support from the community. The people in Sandy have been saying via the Neighbourhood Plan that they would like to see a museum, meeting rooms, a sports hall, a leisure centre - we will make this clear, so that CBC is left in no doubt of the strength of feeling."

The public are welcome to attend the crisis meeting at the Council Chamber at 10 Cambridge Road, from 6pm.