Bid to save The Deepings Leisure Centre launched as community group asks council for £850,000

Save the Deepings Leisure Centre community group has launched a bid to save the Deepings Leisure Centre.

The group has started by asking South Kesteven District Council (SKDC) for £850,000 of one-off funding to contribute to the re-opening of the centre.

The group has requested the funding, which represents 37.5 percent of the £2.266 million of capital funding required that has been identified. The remaining amount has been proposed to come from Lincolnshire County Council, local Parish Councils, Deepings St James United Charities, a private contractor and the community ownership Fund.

The centre closed in 2021 over safety concerns around a leaky roof damaged by heavy rainfall.

SKDC has abandoned plans to spend over £10m pounds on repairs and the centre in Deeping and handed back the lease to the owner Lincolnshire County Council.

The council has invited third-party takeover proposals but if a suitable buyer is not found then the building is danger of demolition and the land would be handed over to the Anthem Schools Trust, which runs the Deepings School.

The community group seeking to save the centre has submitted a business plan to SKDC which includes the request for £850,000 as well as a 15-year cashflow projection.

The money is expected to be put towards repairs to the centre, however, all documents relating to cashflow and projections are currently exempt from public viewing.

Among the modifications proposed to the building is to reconfigure the squash courts to contain a gym within tow of the courts and a soft play and exercise area in the other two.

The full council report on the request can be found on the South Kesteven District Council website.

In the council documents ahead of the meeting, the report states: “It is clear that there is significant local support for the reopening of Deepings Leisure Centre.

"A refurbished centre would improve leisure provision in the district and provide increased opportunities for local residents to undertake exercise. The reopening of Deepings Leisure Centre may therefore positively impact levels of fitness and health and wellbeing outcomes in the local area.

"The Business Plan also includes provision of SEN services such as assisted pool time, including the provision of an accessible pool-lift system, and the ability to offer health and wellbeing services such as sports massage, physiotherapy and holistic therapies.

"However, following a review of the Business Plan, Officers identified a number of concerns and issues. Therefore, further information has been sought during a series of meetings to provide clarification and further information.”

The council will discuss whether or not to grant the funding at an extraordinary meeting on Thursday (January 11) at 2:30pm.