Watersports future undecided

The council has commissioned a feasibility study on merging the two facilities, even though the users of the Watersports Centre oppose the plan.

More than 19,000 youngsters, many from underprivileged backgrounds, used it last year and it is the only dedicated sailing facility in the Olympic borough.

But the land is owned by the London Development Agency (LDA) and is a prime site for residential or commercial redevelopement.

A spokeswoman for the LDA said: “The current state of play is that Newham has commissioned a feasibility study to see if sailing and rowing centres can be combined on one site.

“We are awaiting the outcome of that piece of work. The LDA would support a rationalisation that meant both centres have a more secure future.

“Our aim is for a safe, animated water space and ensure safe public access and use in the Royal Docks.�

There is around £850,000 held in trust to redevelop the Watersports Centre, money that has been ringfenced for more than a decade. But whether the cash would be used for a proposed move remains to be seen.

Users of the centre are reluctant to move, feeling they would be best served by the existing facilities being rebuilt, but if costs are to be cut then the move seems inevitable.

Negotiations with the London Regatta Centre have been ongoing for the past two years but the Regatta Centre is run by a charitable trust – the Royal Albert Dock Trust – rather than Newham Council, which means the proposed merger is not straightforward.

With a growing youth programme, in joint partnership with London Youth Rowing, any relocation of the Watersports Centre would have to be on terms agreed by the Regatta Centre.

Director of rowing at the London Regatta Centre Simon Goodey said: “The sailors would have to be taken by boat from the Royal Albert Dock to their boats in Victoria Dock.

“The two disciplines of sailing and rowing can’t co-exist on the same stretch of water, because they operate different circulation patterns. We have an ever-expanding programme of rowing so we would have to ensure there was sufficient space.�

A spokeswoman for Newham Council said: “We have an excellent track record in making watersports accessible to local people and we are committed to ensuring that this continues.

"The centre sees thousands of young people enjoy sailing, canoeing, and bellboating every year and this is something that we want to maintain.

"The council invests time and resources into the development of watersports and spends in the region of £200,000 each year.

"Discussions are currently underway with partner organisations, including the Royal Docks Trust, Sport England and the London Regatta Centre, to find a lasting, long-term solution that will further boost watersports in Newham.

"The council and the London Development Agency are committed to the development of watersports and are continually working with key partners to ensure opportunities are available leading up to the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics."