Deeping St James leisure centre: Revamp plan to be investigated

Councillors considering saving the centre said it "means so much to the community"

A leisure centre earmarked for closure has been given a reprieve after councillors voted to consider a potential £6.5m revamp plan.

Deepings Leisure Centre was temporarily shut on 27 July after a building survey found a new roof was needed.

A South Kesteven District Council meeting earlier heard an investment of £6.3m could bring the site up to modern standards.

Members approved a survey to assess possible refurbishment options.

Council leaders said damage to the 47-year-old building posed a "significant risk to the health and safety" of staff and customers, with repair costs estimated at £1.2m.

A petition calling for the leisure centre to be saved collected more than 8,500 signatures, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

At an extraordinary meeting earlier, councillors considered an independent assessment which suggested a the proposed £6.3m investment could extend the centre's life by another 25 years.

Councillors voted to go ahead with the survey, costing £100,000, to investigate refurbishment options and renegotiating agreements with landowners Lincolnshire County Council and investors The Anthem Trust.

Councillor Ashley Baxter told the meeting: "We have all heard through emails and on social media many heartfelt stories, fond memories and pleading from the Deepings community, asking us to save this facility.

"It is clear this building means so much more to the community."

However, he noted the economy was in a "very different" place since a few years ago, hinting that plans for an entirely new leisure centre were no longer top priority.

The survey process could take until Christmas and there was no definite timeline for the centre reopening if plans to save it went ahead.

Opposition councillors accused leaders of being misleading and downgrading election promises of a new leisure centre.

Councillor Virginia Moran said her colleagues had found local builders that could do the work for two-thirds of the £1.2m estimate and accused leaders of further backtracking.

A further amendment to provide a one-off budget of up to £1.2m to undertake the essential works before Easter 2022 was voted down.

Cabinet member for finance Councillor Adam Stokes urged caution in case budgets increased and said there was a procurement process the council had to follow.