Plans for a new leisure centre and swimming pool in Peterborough have taken a giant leap forward following an announcement today (Wednesday 26 November) that Government will be contributing £20m.
The announcement was made today by Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Rt Hon Rachel Reeves MP, that a bid for funding towards the much-needed development has been approved from the new £240m Growth Mission Fund to support local economic growth, subject to the approval of a full business case.
Council Leader, Councillor Shabina Qayyum, said: “I am so delighted at the news that Government will be putting £20m into a much-needed new leisure centre and swimming pool for Peterborough.
“This significant investment means it is full steam ahead with our plans and we will progress at pace to deliver a new facility as quickly as possible.
“A new swimming pool will benefit residents of all ages and generations to come, supporting our younger residents to learn how to swim and will promote health and wellbeing for residents of all ages.
“This is yet a further example that the Government is listening to us and is willing to work with us, and importantly invest the money, to improve life for our residents and create more and better opportunities for everyone.”
At a Cabinet meeting in October, members approved plans for a new eight lane 25 metre swimming pool and fitness centre as their preferred option, subject to funding being secured.
It followed a feasibility study into options for a replacement facility and regular meetings between council officers and key stakeholders in the project, including both city MPs, the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA), ARU Peterborough, City of Peterborough Swimming Club, Friends of the Lido and Living Sport.
This work led officers to recommend that plans for a 25 metre, eight lane main pool and fitness centre are developed.
Since then, officers have been working on a detailed business plan for submission to government, the CPCA and other external funders to attract capital funding for the development
The council is currently in the design phase for the project, working closely with Alliance Leisure, national specialists in leisure developments. This will be followed next year by the submission of a planning application for the development.
If the full £38m can be secured, construction work will start early in 2027, with completion expected in the summer of 2028.
MP for Peterborough, Andrew Pakes, said: “This is brilliant news. The Labour Government has given the greenlight to £20 million towards our new swimming pool. "Peterborough is the only one of the top ten fastest growing cities without a public indoor pool. Today’s news from the Chancellor means we can put that right.
“I’ve been fighting for a new pool for two years and I’d really like to thank everyone who has got behind these plans, including ARU Peterborough, City of Peterborough Swimming Club and the council. It just shows what we can achieve when Peterborough comes together.
“This is good news for swimmers, good news for regeneration and good news for Peterborough.”
Paul Bristow, Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, said: “I welcome this new funding for Peterborough. With the Station Quarter works having just begun, this is another step towards the change our city centre needs.
"It's important to get this pool delivered and keep pushing forward. A new community stadium is high on my list. As Mayor, I will work with the government, the city council and others to ensure projects happen.”
Professor Ross Renton, Principal and CEO of ARU Peterborough, said: “This announcement is welcome news for our city. ARU Peterborough looks forward to being a strategic partner to the new pool and gym, and our students and staff will benefit greatly from having these fabulous facilities next to our city centre campus.
“We anticipate that some of our new courses, such as Exercise and Health Science, will use the amenities, and this development also creates exciting opportunities for future programmes at ARU Peterborough, including the possibility of Physiotherapy, providing additional benefits to our local community.”
Morgan Stevenson, co-chair of the City of Peterborough Swimming Club, said: “We’re absolutely thrilled by this. After two years without a permanent pool, we thank the Government for their support, this investment is a vital step towards bringing swimming back to the heart of Peterborough. It’s fantastic for our swimmers, families, and the wider community. This £20 million commitment gets us halfway there, enough to start and build momentum, but we still need the remaining funding to ensure the new facility opens as early as possible. The city deserves a pool it can be proud of, and we’re determined to help make that happen.”
The proposed facility would also include poolside and balcony seating , a 20 metre four lane learner pool with moveable floor, a café, softplay, health and wellbeing suite, community room and health rooms, as well as a fitness suite with 150 stations and studios.
The location of the replacement pool has been thoroughly considered with multiple sites reviewed and discussed with stakeholders. It is recommended that the pool should be city centre based to take advantage of the public transport links, proximity to the Lido and other commercial advantages.
Public consultation on a new pool will take place next year, ahead of a planning application being submitted. To inform the early design stages the council will be running a series of social media polls over the next few weeks to gauge initial views on topics such how people would access it, and what they would like to see included.
These polls will appear on the council’s Facebook page from tomorrow (Thursday).