Councillors Back Plans For New Brighton Swimming Pool

A plan to build a swimming pool at a sports complex in Brighton won the backing of a committee of councillors today (Thursday, January 18).

The £6 million scheme still needs the approval of a second committee made up of senior councillors whose role includes signing off big spending decisions.

If the proposal is agreed next week, as expected, work should start almost at once on preparing a planning application for a modular pool at the Withdean Sports Complex.

In the meantime, councillors have agreed that officials should take a fresh look at the feasibility of building a swimming pool in the eastern part of Brighton and Hove.

The early favourite is adding a pool to the existing Moulsecoomb Community Leisure Centre, not least with the loss of the old Virgin Active site on Brighton University’s Falmer campus.

Another option could be the Stanley Deason Leisure Centre site, in Wilson Avenue, Whitehawk.

When the council’s Culture, Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Economic Development Committee met at Hove Town Hall today, members enthused about the prospect of a five-lane 25-metre community pool at Withdean.

Labour councillor John Hewitt said that he had highlighted the benefits of public swimming pools back in November and the importance of developing the Withdean Sports Complex.

He said:

“Swimming is an accessible activity. It’s fantastic the council offers free swimming for under 18-year-olds.

“The new environmentally friendly technology which is going to be used to heat the pool at Withdean not only provides cheaper utility costs but contributes to our environmental responsibilities.”

The council plans to make use of energy-efficient features such as heat pumps, microfiltration, pool covers and solar panels to reduce the carbon footprint and the running costs.

Labour councillor Ty Goddard said that the hard-head business case favoured a pool at Withdean before the possibility of a new pool in the area that he represented – Moulsecoomb and Bevendean.

It was bitter-sweet, he said, referring to estimates in the report before the committee.

The pool proposed at Withdean could make a modest profit of just over £12,000 a year, compared with a projected annual loss of almost £260,000 at the Moulsecoomb site.

Green councillor Raphael Hill said that for people in Lower Bevendean, in particular, reaching a pool or any opportunity for exercise was hard.

Councillor Hill said:

“A map showing activity levels showed Lower Bevendean as having one of the lowest in the city, I think a lot of that does come down to the fact that the buses are running so poorly.

“That is outside of the realms of this item but does affect people’s ability to get out and involve themselves in activities in the city such as swimming.”

Conservative councillor Samer Bagaeen said that the proposed pool at Withdean was a good idea, having toured a similar one in Barking and Dagenham run by the same operator.

Councillor Bagaeen, who represents Westdene and Hove Park, said:

“I’ve seen it in action. I know it works.

“I think I have confidence in the financial figures so I don’t see any problems with this at all and I’m glad this is coming forward.”

The capital outlay is expected to be £5.8 million although the council plans to include a 7.5 per cent contingency in case costs increase.

Currently, the council has no funds set aside for boosting swimming capacity in Brighton and Hove and is likely to borrow the money based on anticipated future revenues.

The proposed pool would have to generate an annual income of almost £570,000 to service the loan.

Sports England has given the council a £400,000 grant from its Swimming Pool Support Fund but this money is to help the continuing operation of pools in the area.

Next week, senior councillors will be asked to approve £450,000 of borrowing to pay professional fees for detailed design and survey work and the obtaining of planning consent.

The council’s Strategy, Finance and City Regeneration Committee is due to meet at Hove Town Hall at 4pm on Thursday, January 25 to decide whether to approve the borrowing. The meeting is scheduled to be webcast on the council’s website.