Newcastle plans cost could hit £30M mark

Newcastle plans cost could hit £30M mark

14 August 2024

THE final bill for two major leisure projects in Newcastle could be close to a staggering £30m, it has been claimed this week.

It is being suggested that the anticipated £11m cost of an ultra-modern new leisure facility – which would include an indoor pool – has almost doubled to £20m, while the final bill to restore the crumbling outdoor Rock Pool at South Promenade could be as high as £7m.

A new leisure facility has been proposed at the site of the Newcastle Centre while various engineering studies have been carried out at the outdoor Rock Pool to determine its long term future.

Demolition work to bulldoze a rear extension at the Newcastle Centre to pave the way for a major new leisure complex has been completed, with the construction of the new multi-million pound leisure facility to result in the removal of the outdoor Tropicana children’s play pool.

The new leisure complex is expected to feature an indoor pool which will include three 30-metre swimming lanes and a dedicated heated play pool for children. The eagerly-awaited new facility will also feature an ultra-modern gymnasium.

Major work is required at the outdoor seawater Rock Pool which enjoys protected status and has been closed for the past four years.

Newry, Mourne and Down Council owns the facility which opened in the early 1930s with a specialist survey confirming that a number of major issues require urgent attention and that considerable costs are involved.

A number of options for the future of the pool have already been discussed with suggestions that the local authority may join forces with the community in a bid to secure grant funding to carry out much-needed repairs.

It has been reported that the Rock Pool’s concrete structure has extensively degraded, while the filtration system is almost unusable, with seawater pipes so corroded that rust is coming off them and contaminating the water being filtered. 

In addition, the pool is unable to retain water as a result of cracks in the concrete and has been described as no longer fit-for-purpose. There are also concerns the pool does not comply with current health and safety standards.

Senior local authority officials are discussing how to address the issues at the outdoor pool as they advance plans for the new leisure complex and while councillors have been briefed about both developments, precious little information about them has been made public.

This week, the local authority declined to provide any specific update on progress or the potential cost of both developments and the implications for ratepayers, only confirming that information will be “presented in the coming weeks”.

Mournes councillor, Glyn Hanna, said work to deliver the new leisure facility is progressing at a “snail’s pace” while people also “need to get real” about the issues at the Rock Pool.

He questioned whether the multi-million pound leisure complex has “hit a wall” and said it “seems like an eternity” since council officers provided councillors with any update.

“The original cost of this scheme was £11m, but I now believe because of the time that has been wasted that it could be closer to £20m and my patience is running out waiting to see this new centre built,” he continued.

“I want to see our premier tourist destination and the people of Newcastle provided with a 21st century leisure centre, not making do with what they have.”

Cllr Hanna also believes the new leisure centre investment should be prioritised over addressing the issues at the Rock Pool.

He said the public would have access to the leisure facility all year round, not just 10 weeks over the spring and summer as was the case with the Rock Pool when it was open.

Several politicians have recently expressed concern at the lack of progress in determining the future of the Rock Pool, with Cllr Hanna adding his voice to the list, insisting that the iconic facility must be fully restored.

He described the lack of progress on the future of the outdoor pool as “disappointing” and claimed some elected representatives are “misleading” the public over cost options for its future.

“We need to be realistic,” he declared.

“I have said before that it would cost £5m to fully restore the Rock Pool, but I now believe it would cost £7m. This is a realistic cost as there has been substantial further decay to its structure,” Cllr Hanna continued.

“To spend £3m or £4m on a temporary repair is a stupid waste of money. Just to make the Rock Pool stable could also take between £1m and £2m which is a lot of money.”

Cllr Hanna said it is clear the historic pool needs to be fully restored with finance from external funders and the community and local authority working in partnership to achieve this.

“People need to step up to get the job done and while I know there are those with sentimental attachments to this pool, we do need to get real,” he added.

A Newry, Mourne and Down Council spokeswoman said the organisation “has nothing further to add” to a previous response and would only confirm that further information will be presented in the coming weeks.