Birmingham to get new public swimming pool

It will be the first municipal leisure centre in Birmingham to be operated by an external contractor

Birmingham's first new public swimming pool for more than 20 years will open in January 2012.

Birmingham City Council announced Harborne Pool and Fitness Centre will be operated and managed by DC Leisure Management Ltd.

The £12.2m centre is scheduled to open on 3 January.

It will be the first municipal leisure centre in Birmingham to be managed and operated by an external contractor in a bid to save money.

DC Leisure has signed an initial 10-year deal to manage the facility with an option to extend for a further five years, subject to satisfactory performance.

State-of-the-art

Councillor Martin Mullaney, the council's cabinet member for leisure, sport and culture, said the deal marked the future for public swimming pool provision in the city.

He added: "We've replaced an ageing leisure centre with a new state-of-the-art facility to be proud of and this deal with DC Leisure means council taxpayers in Birmingham will no longer pay for the running costs of the centre."

He said they were currently going through a competitive tender process to build another new swimming pool in Sparkhill.

The new centre in Harborne has a 25m main pool alongside a smaller learner facility, a gym, children's fitness suite, dance and aerobics studio and a community room.