What is next for the Regional Pool?

Peterborough's Regional Pool on Bishop's Road

Peterborough’s Regional Pool was commissioned to be demolished this year.

It came after reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac) was found in the building in September 2023.

The facility on Bishop’s Road also previously struggled with other issues which included structural cracking, out-of-date mechanical installations and damaged asbestos.

There are plans for a new pool but an outline business case would need to be submitted.

Work on a new pool to replace the Bishop's Road facility is expected to start between 2025-26

How much did it cost taxpayers to keep the pool open last year?

A Freedom of Information request (FOI) revealed Peterborough City Council spent £200,000 on repairs in the past financial year.

In 2023-24, part of that money saw £104,000 spent on asbestos works and fan motors while £50,000 was also spent on inspections and testing.

This was the largest influx of capital investment the pool had received since 2015-16.

Aside from this, a £1m temporary car park was also established at the site on Bishop’s Road and £275,000 was also spent ⁠in response to Legionella bacteria outbreaks last year.

How much was spent over the last decade?

In the last decade, the figures showed £723,349 was invested into the pool.

A further £355,430 was spent on maintenance and repairs and £328,434 on inspections and testing in this period.

The average annual cost of maintenance and repairs has doubled - from an average of £26,000 a year in 2015 to an average of £57,000 in the last three financial years.

The council said it would cost them £26.3m to repair the facility which was built in the 1970s.

However, it is estimated a new pool could cost £30m with demolition costs expecting to reach up to £2.5m

The council said this cost would be offset by how much the value of the land the pool’s built on increases and how much it will save on security and monitoring.

Leader of the council, Mohammed Farooq said demolition work might take "a few months" to get under way.

Will the city get a new pool?

The authority has pledged a new £30m pool for the city, scheduled to be completed by 2028.

It would include a teaching pool, splash pool, cafe, sports hall, gym, clip and climb facility and soft play area.

It is expected that the council will award a contract between September 2025 and January 2026, and then building work would begin.

John Howard, deputy leader and cabinet member for corporate governance and finance, said council officers had "taken the time to carefully consider the options available".

He said the new facility would "serve the city well for decades to come and will attract people from far and wide".

"That must be our aspiration, rather than placing a sticking plaster on what we have already," he explained.

Mr Farooq added he believed the council had "taken the right decision" and residents would be updated on the pool's progress.

In the meantime, modular pools which require no excavating, have been considered as an alternative.

No date has been confirmed for these pools yet.

Opening season for the Peterborough Lido has also been extended to compensate for the loss of the Regional Pool. The Lido was kept open for the first time in its history during the winter last year.

What do swimmers think?

Previously, Ben Negus, of the City of Peterborough Swimming Club, who practiced at the facility until it closed said building a new pool was "the right decision”.

“The pool lasted over 10 years after its sell-by-date," he said.

"It has not been improved over the years and we need a new modern facility.”

Morgan Stevenson, co-chair of the City of Peterborough Swimming Club, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "2028 is a long wait and we've seen plans and promises made in the past.

"The need now is for decisive action and tangible progress to deliver a facility for the now and the future needs of our growing city."