Cheltenham leisure centre partially closed due to Raac

Raac has been discovered in Leisure at Cheltenham

A town's popular leisure centre will partially close for more than a month due to the discovery of crumbling concrete.

The teaching pool and splash pad will be closed in Leisure at Cheltenham for up to six weeks, it has confirmed.

Contractors found ceiling panels containing re-enforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac).

The rest of the building, including the main pool, is not affected and will stay open but classes have been moved.

The leisure centre is owned by Cheltenham Borough Council and operated by the Cheltenham Trust.

The council said it is working with contractors and the trust and aims to have the work finished as quickly as possible.

CEO of the Cheltenham Trust Laurie Bell said swimming lessons and classes in the main pool have been rescheduled to reduce the impact on the swim programme in the teaching pool.

She added: "We would like to apologise to our members and customers and thank them for their continued patience.

"Customers affected by the closure are being contacted directly and the Leisure at Cheltenham website has the updated swim programme."

Raac is a lightweight material that was used mostly in flat roofing, but also in floors and walls, between the 1950s and 1990s.

It is a cheaper alternative to standard concrete and has a lifespan of about 30 years.

Issues discovered with Raac saw hundreds of schools closed in the autumn of 2023.