South Kesteven District Council rethinks refurbishment of Deepings Leisure Centre

The refurbishment of Deepings Leisure Centre could see a learner pool retained after a rethink by the council.

A consultation on the authority’s £10.7m plans for a full remodelling and refurbishment of the facility received 737 responses, with the majority putting the emphasis on the 25 metre, six lane swimming pool and almost a quarter requesting the retention of the learner pool.

In response, South Kesteven District Council asked its consultants to look again at the plans and came up with a new option, which will still equate to a full remodel and refurbishment of the centre.

A report before the scrutiny committee puts the new option as the preferred one.

“The facilities included in [the new option] would still meet the evidenced need for leisure facilities in the Deepings area,” it said.

“However, it should be noted that the use of the second slightly smaller studio would be limited during periods of school examinations to prevent noise transference.”

Further analysis is also being done on the depth of the pool to prevent it limiting the teaching of advanced swimming lessons.

Costs and income breakdowns of the new option are not included in the public documents but are disclosed in private papers.

The report, however, said: “On an annual basis the projections show that [this option] generates slightly more income, however, higher costs are projected due to the additional staffing and utility cost implications of retaining the learner pool.”

Elsewhere in the consultation, 93 per cent of respondents said they previously used the leisure centre – 57 per cent frequently. A total of 84 per cent said they would use the centre after the refurbishment.

South Holland and Deepings MP Sir John Hayes (Con) has also responded. He said it was imperative that the leisure centre should be refurbished as soon as possible to provide a range of facilities to the local community, with pricing remaining affordable.

Critics of the plans panned the removal of the learner pool and inclusion of the moveable floor, urging the authority to keep the former to enable the facility to continue to be used as a gala venue.

An alternative consultation was also launched by opposition members after they felt the council’s own was felt to be lacking.

It received 831 participants with 86 per cent calling for the learner pool to be retained. Three quarters of them said a large concert hall/function room was needed and more than two thirds said the provision of 80 gym stations was too many.

Independent councillor Ashley Baxter, one of those behind the plans, said it was “great news” if the council voted to retain the learner pool.

“I’m really pleased that the council has listened to the community and presented this further option,” he said.

He said the original option was a “backwards step”.

Fellow independent councillor Virginia Moran said she was 'beyond delighted' by the new option.

“Make no mistake, if Deepings Independent councillors hadn’t taken this fight on... it would now be a pile of rubble," she added.

“We now have to continue ensuring that it actually happens and as quickly as possible.”

The scrutiny committee will be asked to decide a final way forward for the plans.

The report will then go to cabinet for a decision.