Shott's Site

The site of the burnt out former night club known as Shott's and the adjacent car park are all part of the Peter Driver sports ground which sits on land donated to the people of Church Crookham by the MoD in memory of local athlete Peter Driver (who famously won a gold medal in the 1954 Empire Games in Vancouver). On moving to Fleet in 1961 he became a pivotal member of the Fleet & Crookham Athletic club, until his untimely death in 1971. The MoD gave ownership of the donated Peter Driver sport's ground to Hart District Council, but kept a covenant on the site intended to ensure that the sports ground would remain forever for recreational use.

Originally the Fleet & Crookham Athletic club had benefit of a gym on the 'Shott's' part of the site but the area was leased off without their knowledge by Hart to allow the building of the nightclub in the late 80's. The first stage of Hart's piece meal selling off of this important local asset.

After the nightclub burnt down in mysterious circumstances in February 2000, Hart gave Brian Tydeman (who had owned a 99 year lease on the site) outline planning permission for small offices and industrial units on the site - including allowing him to build on the car park used by all those who use the Peter Driver centre (see Fleet News reports; 1, 2 & 3). This was the point in time when the people of Church Crookham were stitched up, because with permission given to build business units on the Peter Driver car park the sports ground could not continue to be viable once the units were built.

Allegedly, Mr Tydeman lost interest in building this development and so Hart set out to do a 3-way deal to sell the land, with 3 beneficiaries; Hart for selling the land, Mr Tydeman for selling his lease and the MoD for selling out their recreation only covenant. Another stitch up for the people of Church Crookham.

At the time the Community Campaign were new to the Council and finding our feet but when we learnt of this questionable deal we were very concerned. However, senior officers gave us reassurances that car parking for users of the Peter Driver centre would be protected. However, in reality no more than 22 spaces were going to be made available - which shows the complete lack of understanding about the number of people who use the sports ground.

In response to our raising concerns Conservative Councillor Stephen Gorys showed his true contempt for the people of Church Crookham and users of the Peter Driver site when he said;
Did you need to be involved but weren't?

Sadly thanks to Hart's treachery over this land sale and their giving planning permission in 2002 for industrial units there is little scope left to protect access to the Peter Driver centre as it is. The way forward is to get Hart to use some of the £600,000 that we are told that they were paid for the land to reconfigure the Peter Driver site.

Here is what we think would be needed to recover from this diabolical situation;

• New access to the Peter Driver Sports Ground - either through where the derelict bungalow currently sits or from Beacon Hill Road
  
• Removing one of the two football pitches and using it for additional car parking spaces and the relocation of the 5-a-side hard pitch if the nursing home goes ahead.
• Reconfigure the remaining pitch to allow the athletics club to gradually build up their facilities; long jump pit, running track, etc.

What do you think? Please contact us with your thoughts. Now is the time for the community to act together to protect one of the few real amenities left in Church Crookham.

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