Maryport regeneration set to fail, business leader warns

A new swimming pool at Maryport's Wave Centre is unaffordable, Cumberland Council says

Regeneration plans for a west Cumbrian town will fail unless councillors and the local MP show more commitment, a business leader has warned.

Sean Parnaby, chairman of the Maryport Business Group, was speaking after plans for a new public swimming pool were dropped amid cost concerns.

Cumberland Council said it feared the scheme may have needed annual subsidies of £500,000.

Local MP Mark Jenkinson said he was working hard for the town.

The cost of building the pool at the Wave Centre in Maryport had risen to "unaffordable levels", the council said earlier this week.

It followed a previous announcement that the Empire Yard project to create an adaptable space in the town which could be used for a market, cinema screenings or music events was being dropped.

'Political football'

Speaking to BBC Radio Cumbria, Mr Parnaby said business leaders in the town were "disappointed" by the decision but it had not been unexpected.

"After the scrapping of Empire Yard followed by the swimming pool, we do question why we've got parties playing political football with Maryport.

"The whole idea is we have community engagement but, to be blunt, that engagement is not there."

The pool was to be paid for in part by a grant from the government's Future High Streets Fund, but the council said estimated costs had risen by £400,000 to £5.6m.

Responding to Mr Parnaby's comments, Cumberland Council deputy leader Lisa Brown said the authority was "committed to delivering for the people of Maryport".

She said: "We want to reassure residents that the Future High Street Fund money will stay in Maryport. We will be back with a consultation on options and we would encourage everyone to get involved."

Workington's Conservative MP Mark Jenkinson, whose constituency covers Maryport, denied failing to engage with decision-makers.

But he accused the Labour-controlled council of delivering a "kick in the teeth" for the town by scrapping the pool scheme.

"The bid took over two years of consultation and business case development, having to clear many hurdles.

"There is a hard-stop for spending all monies by March 2024, making the likelihood of an acceptable change request [to the grant] incredibly poor."