New Droitwich leisure centre plans set to be scrapped

A planned upgrade at the existing centre includes adding a new learner pool and cafe and a better reception

Plans for a new leisure centre are set to be scrapped by a council that has blamed the pressure of inflation.

In 2022, proposals to knock down a pool in Droitwich, Worcestershire, which is more than 40 years old, and build a major new facility, were revealed by Wychavon District Council.

But, estimated costs have gone up from about £25m to £42m.

Now there are plans to improve the existing centre at a cost of £6.8m and upgrade the town's lido with £5.1m.

The council's cabinet will discuss the new proposals, which include a new £300,000 skateboard park and improving an athletics track in a £252,000 scheme, in a meeting on Wednesday.

The authority's leader, Chris Day, said it needed to spend money "wisely".

'Really good feedback'

He added: "We've got strong reserves and so on, but even we thought that 40 million was just a step too far."

The planned upgrade at the existing site includes adding a new learner pool and cafe and a better reception.

Mr Day said he thought the latest plan put forward was "a better result, because we're gonna have other things that we'll add in".

Responding to criticism of the change, the leader stated there was "really good feedback" from the current centre, but it lacked a learner pool.

The current reception area "doesn't look great and it's quite small", while facilities needed to run the leisure centre would be improved and "become a lot more reliable and more carbon friendly".

Mr Day said: "I'd say we're getting 80% of what we were looking for in the first place.

"We think... we're going to extend the life of the leisure centre by at least 10 to 15 years."