Council exploring options for new hydrotherapy pool in Peterborough

In 2022, the then Conservative-led authority confirmed that the St George’s Hydrotherapy Pool was to be closed for good after having already been shut for two years, with plans later revealing that the site would be turned into classrooms for Heltwate School.

Its closure resulted in a lack of hydrotherapy services in Peterborough and the site has remained vacant for five years, with St George’s Friends and Service Users’ group lead Karen Oldale previously labelling the whole affair a “shameful and terrible waste”.

At a full council meeting on Wednesday, October 15, Labour council leader Cllr Shabina Qayyum was asked by Conservative group leader Cllr Wayne Fitzgerald if the recently-revealed £36 million swimming pool and leisure centre plans for the city included a new hydrotherapy pool.

Cllr Qayyum responded “watch this space”, but later told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that there were no plans to include a hydrotherapy facility within that provision.

“However, I’m pleased to say that the St George’s group were one of the first organisations I met with after becoming leader and have travelled on this journey with them,” she said.

“This includes scrutinising the previous administration for demolishing the St George’s Hydrotherapy Pool, looking at prospective plans for accommodating a new one in the city with local councillors involved and instilling the confidence within them under our administration that we understand the importance of hydrotherapy more than those who took the provision away from them.

“Hence, we are exploring options and have not committed to anything, but certainly nothing is off the table, and I’m hopeful we can come up with a plan that sees hydrotherapy as much a part of this city as any leisure facility.

“The comment of ‘watch this space’ is reflective of the words above, and St George’s is very much close to our administration and has been considered as a valuable friend, who, the Conservative administration, posing this question at the recent full council, sadly abandoned.”

Ms Oldale said: “We are pleased that the current administration recognises the benefits of hydrotherapy (aquatic physiotherapy) for its residents and the city. I can confirm that we’ll be delighted to support the exploration of options to ensure this valuable service is restored.”

Conservative councillor Steve Allen, who was part of the administration at the time the St George’s pool was shut down and later demolished, admitted at the full council meeting last week that the hydrotherapy pool was closed “probably far too soon”, but claimed there was a “very heavy nudge” that it had to be closed with some urgency.

Cllr Allen questioned whether the current administration was happy with the time scale involved from the permanent closing of the pool three years ago to now.

Cllr John Fox of Peterborough First said he was “lost for words” and reminded councillors that it was a Conservative administration which decided to close the pool.

“Don’t blame anybody else, blame yourselves,” Cllr Fox directed at the Conservative councillors.

Conservative group leader Cllr Wayne Fitzgerald, who led the council at the time, said: “As the administration will find out, those current and those past, cabinet and those in charge sometimes have to make difficult decisions.”

He argued that the decision to close the pool came from officer recommendations.

Plans were approved for a new hydrotherapy pool and rehabilitation centre at Thistlemoor Medical Centre last year, though there has been little update on this despite hopes to get spades in the ground last Autumn.

Dr Neil Modha of Thistlemoor Medical Centre, who initially revealed these plans, has been approached for comment.