Lack of cash halts new leisure centres

A leisure centre was due to be built at the former Chester-le-Street civic centre

Two planned new leisure centres have been put on hold due to a lack of money.

Durham County councillors approved plans for new facilities at Chester-le-Street and Seaham in 2020 but a shortfall of £48m has left the schemes "unaffordable".

Cabinet member for resources, investments and assets James Rawlandson said the council was facing “unprecedented financial pressures”, making the schemes "unsustainable".

A new leisure centre in Bishop Auckland has been approved and work to build it is under way.

People 'ignored'

At a cabinet meeting held in front of local residents it was revealed the original programme had increased from £62.8m to in excess of £100m, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The work would have seen both the former Civic Centre in Chester-le-Street and St John’s Square in Seaham being rebuilt.

Work has yet to start, but the council said £10m will be set aside to improve the "customer experience" at both sites.

However, Alan Brown from the Riverside Residents’ Association doubted the new leisure centre in Chester-le-Street would ever be built, saying the council had "ignored everything people have said".

In response, Councillor Rowlandson told residents the council was still committed to building the new centres "when funding allows".

"I can assure the public that we have not ignored what people have said and that we will take account of the feedback we have received when developing future plans.”