Still no answers on future of Peterborough's Regional Pool as closure continues

The future of Peterborough’s main swimming pool remains in doubt, with no firm plans on reopening it or replacing it yet made public.

Peterborough City Council (PCC) says that there is currently “no update” on the Vivacity Regional Fitness & Indoor Swimming Centre, known as the Regional Pool, which has been shut since September last year, although there will be in the next couple of months.

The issue is likely to be debated before that, though, with the council’s Labour group planning to raise it at PCC’s next full council meeting on 24th January.

The pool initially closed after asbestos was found in the building, but its ongoing closure is due to concerns over Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) which was found during further checks of the facility.

Peterborough Labour says that the Regional Pool may never reopen as it would cost the council “upwards of £10 to £15 million” to address its issues, which it says also includes a cracked roof.

The city’s Conservative party says that it was in the process of commissioning a new pool with a private sector partner when the report laying out these costs was shown to councillors.

But the council is now led by Cllr Mohammed Farooq (Peterborough First, Hargate and Hempsted), who replaced previous leader Cllr Wayne Fitzgerald (Conservatives, West) after a vote of no confidence in November. He has been contacted for comment.

Last year, a new temporary car park was installed at the pool after part of its original car park was lost to a new ARU Peterborough university building, at a cost of £1m.

Since then, it has closed multiple times due to concerns over Legionella bacteria, asbestos and RAAC, with its most recent closure beginning on 14 September last year.

The pool, on Bishop’s Road, was operated by Vivacity, itself operated by Peterborough Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of the council.