​New £1.1m swimming pool for Radcliffe

Councillors have approved a new £1.1 million temporary swimming pool and gym for Radcliffe.

It will be built on the site of the former Radcliffe Riverside School (Coney Green), creating a 25m by 8m swimming facility along with a fully equipped gym for the residents of Radcliffe and surrounding areas.

Providing a temporary facility will allow the council time to develop plans for a new permanent Radcliffe Pool and Fitness Centre on its current site. The main pool has been closed for 12 months due to storm damage and the subsequent discovery of major structural decay to concrete and steel columns, and the removal of asbestos.

The recommendations were approved by the council’s cabinet on Wednesday (17 Dec) and mean the temporary pool and gym could be open by spring 2015.

Councillor Rishi Shori, cabinet member for health and wellbeing, said: “I’m delighted that these plans have been approved, which backs up promises we made to provide swimming facilities for people in Radcliffe.

“Many tens of thousands of people used the existing pool, and the health benefits alone of constructing this facility are very important.

“The plan is to provide a 25m x 8m temporary pool on the Riverside site, along with male and female changing rooms and toilets, disabled facilities, and a seating pool-view area. A new equipped gym will also be provided. It’s an excellent location as there is already a community sports centre at the site, along with ample car parking and the nearby Metrolink station.”

Cllr Shori’s report flagged up concerns raised by engineers about the existing Radcliffe Pool, which dates from 1968, especially the ageing building’s external cladding. They say that repairs to the main pool could not go ahead in isolation, and that the whole building would need to be considered. This could cost £1.5 million to start with, plus further costs over the next 5 to 10 years including extensive repair works to the roof, which would have required a long period of closure.

Cllr Shori added: “We did look at putting the new temporary pool on the site of the existing Radcliffe Pool, but we had to rule this out due to engineering concerns about the long-term structural integrity of the external cladding that would be nearby the temporary pool. Also, we would have to relocate the temporary pool while work was carried out on a brand new centre, leading to significant costs.”

Until the temporary pool is open, the existing teaching pool and gym in Radcliffe remain safe to use and open for business as usual. There is also a comprehensive programme of swimming at Castle Leisure Centre and Ramsbottom Pool.

ENDS

Press release issued: 19 December 2014.