Extreme Sports at the Ham

The extreme sports facility to be located at the Ham, in Shoreham is progressing well. The user's working group researched different locations having similar facilities across the South of England, and a range of draft designs for were displayed in the foyer at Adur Civic Centre to get local views. Reflecting on experience in other locations, it is anticipated that this facility will provide the highest standards for extreme sports for local young people that can be achieved. Despite some delays for reasons beyond the Council's control, first phase work is now due to start in the autumn 2008, using the design which received the most support from young people and the public.

Following the proposals to build around 10,000 new homes at Shoreham Port, a great deal of discussion is taking place about how best to proceed.  One of the key issues is consultation with local people and how we deal effectively with their concerns.  While in the longer term, this proposal provides huge opportunity for not only new housing, but associated employment and investment in infrastructure.  The project, which will probably take around 20 years from concept to completion, must get the support of the community if it is to achieve its full potential.

While I am not on the working group, I did represent the council along with Councillor Liza McKinney in a SEEDA sponsored trip to Scandinavia to view ECO communities in coastal areas.  What we learned very quickly, was how far we are behind in the UK in the ways we deal with planning, water, waste management and public transport, and we can learn a great deal.  Shoreham Harbour is an opportunity to use all the expertise from other areas to make the new development as ecologically developed and efficient as possible.

While this might seem to be a bit of a "jolly" at the tax payers expense, can I re-assure you, that far from being a jolly, it was long and hard work with 20 hour days and four flights between three countries in three days.  I am sure I came back 6 inches shorter from all the walking I did in these short three days.

These are some examples of what we saw: