Further cash needed to run upgraded swimming pool

Bingley swimming pool closed in 2020 due to structural issues

Bradford Council may require an extra £2.6m to bring a mothballed swimming pool back into use and increase its capacity.

Bingley swimming pool closed in 2020 due to structural issues, with more than £14.8m of government funding allocated to rebuild it.

But the council, which has approved recommendations for the project to progress through the planning system, may need to borrow further cash for running expenses once it reopened.

Cost analysis found it would be significantly cheaper to maintain a four-lane pool - but some local residents hope for a bigger facility.

The Friends of Bingley Pool group has lobbied the council to "aim high" and suggested that a new, enlarged design should includes six lanes.

Councillor Geoff Winnard, an independent, said he was concerned that the project may not be completed due to the lack of funds.

"I understand the financial problems the council is under but surely if there's political commitment to have this pool in Bingley then surely it can be done," he said.

"The reality is we mustn’t let this opportunity for the people of the Bingley area fall through our hands."

'Substantial revenue budget'

The council's executive team agreed to continue to identify alternative sources of funding for the project and close the loss-making gym on the site with immediate effect.

The authority would require a £152,000 annual loan to run a six-lane pool, but only £23,000 for a four-lane pool.

The most expensive option is to demolish the building and a construct a new pool from scratch.

A council document reads: "Obviously a pool of this nature would require a substantial revenue budget to support the operational lifetime of the facility.

"Further analysis of the business model and a stronger understanding of the construction methodology is required to determine the likely annual operating and maintenance costs."

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