Peterborough hydrotherapy pool demolition cost council £16,700

St George's hydrotherapy pool was demolished soon after it was closed to users

A cash-strapped council spent £16,700 demolishing a hydrotherapy pool for users with disabilities to ensure it could not reopen, it has been revealed.

Demolition work at St George's in Peterborough started in September, soon after Peterborough City Council closed it to save money.

A reply to a Freedom of Information request said the pool was "fully decommissioned" so it could not reopen.

A spokeswoman for users of the pool said she was "appalled" by the action.

The facility had 4,500 registered users but the council said financial pressures had forced it to act, and that in other parts of the country the service would be funded by private organisations and the NHS.

Peterborough City Council is facing a growing budget gap of up to £14m by 2026 and has been looking to sell off assets.

With regards to St George's, the council said in a Freedom of Information response: "The decision to close the pool was made by the cabinet in July 2022.

"The then leader and deputy leader of the council subsequently requested that the pool be fully decommissioned in order to ensure that the decision not to reopen could be properly actioned."

Karen Oldale, for the Friends of St George's, said they sent in the request as they were concerned the demolition was carried out before an application and planning permission had been granted to convert the pool area for nearby Heltwate school.

Users said closing the hydrotherapy had left them "heartbroken"

Ms Oldale said: "I find it extraordinary and am appalled that the former leader and deputy of Peterborough's cash-strapped council requested the demolition of St George's at a cost of £16,705.21 before any alternative plans for the hydrotherapy site had even been submitted.

"It appears it was to ensure that pool that had improved the health, wellbeing and independence of so many residents who were disabled, injured or ill, could never be reopened and used again."

The St George's hydrotherapy pool had 4,500 registered users

A city council spokesperson said: "Demolition of any site will always result in a cost to the authority and there is no reason for the owner of a site to await planning permission before removing an existing building.

"Since this time, a planning application has been submitted for the site by Heltwate School.

"Plans continue to be developed by external parties to provide hydrotherapy provision in the city, which we are supportive of.

"However, at a time when there are huge pressures on our budget, particularly in children's social care, the council cannot fund hydrotherapy provision, especially when in every other part of the country this service is funded by private organisations and the NHS."