Everything we know about plans to build a £36 million indoor swimming pool and sports quarter in Peterborough
The countdown has begun to the start of construction of a new 25 metre indoor swimming pool and sports centre in Peterborough.
The 18-month-old project was given a major boost yesterday (November 26) when Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves announced that Peterborough would get £20 million towards the cost of the pool project that will be the heart of a new sports quarter in the city.
The cash will come from the £240 million Growth Mission Fund that the Chancellor set up in the summer.
Now work is about to begin in Peterborough to put together a business case for the indoor pool and associated sports hall and which is necessary to secure the release of the £20 million from Government officials.
The business case is a vital part of the project as it will also detail how the remaining money for the £36 million swimming pool will be raised.
And the deadline is a tight one with construction expected to get under way in 2027 and the facility, which will be the only public indoor swimming pool in Peterborough, due to open in 2028.
The proposals for the pool and sports hall have been jointly put together over the summer by a consortium that includes both city MPs, the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA), Peterborough City Council, ARU Peterborough, City of Peterborough Swimming Club, Friends of the Lido and Living Sport.
And Peterborough City Council has just launched a public consultation exercise that it hopes will help ‘inform our detailed plans for a new pool.’
A council social media post adds: “In the meantime, we want to hear your initial thoughts which we will include as part of our business case to Government.
“We’ll be running a series of social media polls so you can give us your views.”
What will £36 million buy Peterborough?
The original vision 18 months ago was to create an Olympic-grade swimming pool for Peterborough.
But the cost was deemed too great.
Councillor Shabina Qayyum, the council leader, said: “We have never committed to an Olympic-sized swimming pool.
"The city needs one that is sufficient for children's swimming lessons and other activities.
"It’s a great multi-use facility and has been approved on the basis of the multi-functional approach rather than being used for Olympic-grade swimming only.”
Instead city councillors considered four options with costs ranging from £27 million to £47 million.
The preferred option will cost £36,572,000.
It will provide:
- An eight lanes, 25 metre long competition-grade indoor swimming pool
- Poolside and balcony seating for 300 people.
- A 20 metre four lane learner pool with moveable floor.
- Café
- Softplay
- Innerva health suite.
- Community room.
- Health rooms
- Fitness suite with 150 stations and studios.
Why is the new swimming pool needed?
A report released by the council cast a light on why a new indoor swimming pool is urgently needed in Peterborough.
It states: “Peterborough’s six lane 25 metre pool at Regional Fitness and Swimming Centre closed in 2024.
"This closure exacerbated the previous shortfall in provision, estimated to be equivalent to nine lanes of 25 metre pool water, and increased the shortfall to about 15 lanes of 25 metre pool water.
It warns: “This is a substantial deficit and supports the need for at least an eight lane 25 metre pool and learner pool.
"In addition, the results of a demand analysis support the provision of a significant health and fitness facility, of 150 stations, and associated studios, based on a city centre site location.”
The Regional Pool was demolished earlier this year after it was decided the cost of repairing RAAC damage and removing asbestos would be too high.
But it left Peterborough with just one swimming pool and that was the open-air Lido off Bishop’s Road. Although the Lido celebrates its 80th anniversary next year, it’s survival is not guaranteed. Council chiefs warned the public to use it ‘use it or lose it’ this year after dropping plans to ‘mothball’ the facility for a season to save £400,000.