NEW SWIMMING POOL PROPOSED
City council seeks views on ‘once in a generation’ chance
A ‘ONCE-IN-A-GENERATION’ plan for a new swimming pool and leisure centre for Portsmouth has been revealed.
The city council is asking for residents’ views on the proposal for a new facility, potentially at Bransbury Park in Milton.
If approved it could replace Eastney Swimming Pool and Wimbledon Park Sport
Centre, after a report showed the pool alone would need £850,000 to keep it in working order.
Deputy council leader and leisure boss, Councillor Steve Pitt, said: ‘We have a oncein-a-generation opportunity for a proper hard look at our leisure facilities.’
‘Once-in-a-generation’ opportunity to create modern community facility
A NEW swimming pool and leisure centre could be built in the south east of Portsmouth as part of a ‘once-in-ageneration’ plan.
The city council has revealed proposals to create a new leisure and community facility – potentially on the site of the present centre at Bransbury Park – and is asking residents to provide feedback.
If approved at a future date, the site would also replace Eastney Swimming Pool and Wimbledon Park Sport Centre, after a report showed the pool alone would need £850,000 to keep it in working order.
It is planned this allocated cash would be used with potential funding secured through Sport England to provide the new ‘21st century’ build.
Deputy council leader and leisure boss, Councillor Steve Pitt, said: ‘The pandemic has made it more important than ever to invest in sport and leisure and get more people active.
‘At the same time, we must look at our current provision and make challenging financial decisions to invest in the future so we have fitfor-purpose and accessible facilities for all our residents to use.
‘We have got a once-in-ageneration opportunity to actually take a proper hard look at our leisure facilities and make them available for residents as a 21st century offer.
‘For example, a really key consideration is that Eastney does not have disability access. It is also a deep pool that is not suitable for learners.’
It comes as the council recently announced plans for a £2.5m redevelopment of the Pyramids Centre in Southsea that would include replacing the pools with a soft play area.
However, as reported, residents were not consulted on this scheme as the council said it was not possible to keep the pools running.
Cllr Pitt added: ‘The only options left were to close the centre completely or find a way to keep it open before the building inevitably reaches the end of its life.’
If the new centre at Bransbury Park is built, it is planned the land at Eastney Swimming Pool and the Wimbledon Park Centre would be kept by the council and redeveloped into ‘something sympathetic to the area and residents’, subject to a public consultation.
To take part in the survey, visit portsmouth.gov.uk/ sportandleisure or call 023 9261 6708 by December 13.