Plans to build new Regional Swimming Pool on new Peterborough site revealed

A new report from Peterborough City Council has said the current pool, located near the Embankment, will reach the end of it’s operational life within the next five to ten years. It was built in 1976, with a last refurbishment taking place in 2011.

A number of sites for a new pool - including the current site - have been examined, with the favoured site being the council car park at the junction of Oundle Road and London Road.

The report said: “Peterborough’s Regional Pool is close to the end of its useful operational life. It is expected that it will need to be replaced or be subject to major renovation and refurbishment within the next 5 – 10 years, with the latest condition survey recommending £6m of work over the next decade and the bulk of that (about £4.5m) in the next two. The Regional Pool is an outdated facility with high operating costs and unsatisfactory changing area facilities; it lacks a sports hall, has a limited activity offer and is subject to increasingly high repair and maintenance costs. There is also insufficient capacity to accommodate the demand for water space that the city’s population needs; this is likely to become a more acute problem as the city continues to grow.”

The new building would have a 25m eight -lane main pool with 300 spectator seats, like the current pool. The report says it would also have a minimum of a 15m x 10m teaching pool, Sauna and steam and relaxation area and a 150 station gym - although an ‘optimal’ mix would have a 17m x 15m teaching pool with moveable floor, 350 sqm leisure water with flume, water features and toddler splash zone, Sauna and steam, relaxation area and treatment rooms and a 175 station gym, two exercise studios (with moveable partition between) both 40-person capacity a smaller yoga/pilates studio with 20-person capacity, a 20 person spinning studio, a four court sports hall, soft play and a 75 seat cafe.

A diving pool is not included in the plans.

Seven sites were selected as potential locations - The existing Regional Pool site, Wellington Street Car Park, Pleasure Fair Meadows Car Park, Northminster, North Westgate, Mayor’s Walk and Maskew Avenue, with ease of access, city centre proximity, availability, ease of control, planning policy and site prominence all taken into account.

However, the council report says: “The analysis highlights that Pleasure Fair Meadows site meets most of the location criteria and appears the best available location. This view is shared by the specialist leisure consultants who have considered the site options.”

The work to be undertaken on the development of the business case will be funded by the PIP with a contribution from the Council through the Community Infrastructure levy budget. The total cost of preparing the detailed business case is expected to be £35k. The PIP has agreed to contribute 50% of these costs with the balance funded through the CIL.