Deepings Leisure Centre will not reopen, campaigners say
Campaigners fighting to reopen a leisure centre are throwing in the towel after a four-year battle.
The Deepings Leisure Centre Community Interest Company (CIC) has announced it is unable to proceed with plans to reopen the facility in Park Road.
Chairperson Virginia Moran announced in a post on Facebook last night (February 20) that the group had come to ‘the end of the road with the project’.
She said: “There remains no avenue of funding we have not explored and the dedication, knowledge and hours invested by the members of the CIC has been immeasurable.
“We will, however, look at keeping the CIC dormant so that if something changes in the future and funds become available we, or others in the community, can look at finding land and building a swim centre.”
The Deepings Leisure Centre closed in August 2021 due to serious safety concerns caused by a leaky roof and has stood empty ever since.
After agreeing to refurbish it, South Kesteven District Council ditched plans to spend £10.7 million on repairs to the leisure centre in Deeping St James and handed the lease back to owner Lincolnshire County Council, which put it up for sale.
The Save the Deepings Leisure Centre group, which was set up in 2021 by residents wanting the site to be refurbished and reopened, was quick to submit an offer.
The group received funding from both Lincolnshire County Council and South Kesteven District Council but was relying on money from the central Government’s Community Ownership Fund.
This was suspended last May and closed completely in early December which Virginia described as a ‘catastrophic set back’.
In late December a new solution was put forward, in partnership with The Anthem Trust which runs The Deepings School, involving the demolition of the existing building and replacing it with a new sports hall, gym and studios but no pool.
The group requested an area of land would be earmarked for a pool, which would be created at a later date, and drew up figures and plans for this ahead of a meeting with the county and district councils and school trust yesterday.
Virginia, who lives in the Deepings and is a district councillor who opposed the closure, said: “Unfortunately, on further inspection of the plan it doesn't meet the needs of the CIC and doesn't appear to us to be financially viable.
“We were also unconvinced that a pool would be a prospect for many years to come.”
A spokesperson for The Anthem Trust said: “We are committed to finding a solution to providing permanent sports facilities for The Deepings School which will be made available for use by the wider community.”
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