#SAVEOURSLOPE - UPDATE

Dear Supporter

You signed our petition some time ago, which really kickstarted our #SaveOurSlope campaign.  Thank you for that.  It is taking a long time to see any form of outcome, but here is our latest update.  

A series of Welwyn Hatfield Borough council (WHBC) meetings taking place during November (17th and 23rd) should move forward the Local (housing) Plan, after which we should know more about the prospects of retaining or losing the ski slope.  The WHBC Local Plan has been rumbling along since 2015, it’s still not agreed, and during that time the ski slope site at Gosling has unfortunately been wrapped up in the plan as a site at risk of redevelopment.  

We hope that the ski slope will escape the jaws of the Local Plan proceedings, but even if it does, there are still big challenges ahead in fully retaining the slope for the medium and long term.  A feasibility study and masterplan for Gosling Sports Park, born out of a council-led sports strategy review for the borough, is now underway.  Snowsport England, along with many other sports governing bodies are on the steering committee.  So we have a voice, and hopefully we will be heard.

There are many stakeholders and decision makers involved with this masterplan, in particular the council who own the freehold, Sport England and GLL who own the facility.  Given the opportunity, we are keen to work with these stakeholders to demonstrate that the ski slope is worth keeping!

If the ski centre gets retained in the Gosling masterplan, it should receive some investment to improve the facility.  We firmly believe that with investment, it can become a flagship ski sports facility in the Herts / Beds / Bucks / N London region.  A region which badly needs to hold on to this type of facility, both for the sport and for the youth in the community.   

We shall keep you informed!