Leisure center renovation delayed as swimming pool work “more serious” than anticipated

The redevelopment of a Fenland leisure center has faced a number of setbacks, including a bankrupt contractor and a growing budget

A decision on the renovation of a recreation center and swimming pool from the 1960s was delayed until December. Fenland District Council has been looking to redevelop the Manor Leisure Center in Whittlesey for the past two years.

But in May the main contractor went into administration, pushing back the planned start date of November, a report to the council’s Conservative cabinet said. Cllr Steve Count said the work to fix the swimming pool was also becoming “much more serious” than “what was originally anticipated”.

As the plans now have to undergo a “major change”, a fresh legal process will have to come with a new planning application and value for money report.

A report said the cabinet will be presented with three options to consider – maintain the existing facility and repair the pool tanks, maintain the existing facility and replace the pool tanks, or complete redevelopment. Option two, “comprehensive redevelopment”, is estimated to cost £23m including a £2.5m grant from Sport England.

Councilor Chris Boden said it was “disappointing” the vote had been pushed back to December, but he would make a final decision then.

He said: “In terms of a long-term facility that has a lifetime of decades, rather than years, option two seems to make much more sense. But as I say, I reserve my final position on this until we see the paper that comes to us in December”.

Cllr Steve Tierney said there had been “wild rumours” about whether the council was still “dedicated to the principle of a leisure centre”, which they said “are 100 per cent”.

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He asked: “Can we be clear that we are still absolutely committed to this project and we are just trying to solve some of the problems?”

Cllr Count said: “I’m very much trying to get this into a position where the cabinet is as convinced as I can bring this forward that this will be a good thing to move forward.”

A final decision on the way forward will be made when the final report is presented to Cabinet in December.