News
Public consultation gives backing to pool plan
Thursday 20 March 2008
Public consultation gives backing to pool plan
PLANS to build a new swimming pool next door to the city's leisure centre have won overwhelming support. The £3.3m scheme has been given a massive thumbs up in a consultation exercise carried out by Harrogate Borough Council.
It revealed that 85 per cent of the 142 residents who responded want to see a new pool built at Camp Close as an extension of the existing leisure centre.
pleased
Coun Pat Jones, the borough council's cabinet member of cultural services, said: "It is pleasing that plans to develop a new pool have met with such widespread public support and there is no doubt that the city is desperately in need of a new swimming pool and more fitness facilities."
Mayor of Ripon, Coun Andrew Williams is also pleased with the results. He said: "This public response shows that the city council were correct in supporting the proposal by Harrogate Council to develop a new swimming pool.
"It is clear that the vast majority of residents wish to see the city of Ripon move forward and the provision of modern leisure facilities is something that they value."
However, the consultation also revealed that many were unhappy with the current suggested design and some wanted to see a 50m pool, instead of the 25m six-lane pool being proposed.
costs
Coun Mike Gardiner, leader of Harrogate Borough Council, said: "We will now study the implications of what the public have requested and move forward in developing a final design for the proposed new building.
"It is important that the new pool meets as many of the needs of local people as possible, however we must keep a careful eye on both building and running costs.
"In the present financial climate the provision of a 50m pool, which would cost in excess of £7m to build and at least an additional £500,000 each year to run, is well beyond our current resources."
The new pool at Camp Close would be partly funded by the sale of the present Spa Baths site, but concerns have been voiced about proposals that would see the historic building turned into housing.
Plans for the Spa Baths site are currently on view at both the baths and the leisure centre.
