An alternative construction method would see the swimming pool at a new leisure centre in Lichfield built quicker than using traditional techniques, councillors have been told.
The proposed new facility at Stychbrook Park will be discussed at an overview and scrutiny committee meeting next week.
Council chiefs are proposing putting £10million into the project after the local authority missed out on Levelling Up funding.
The new centre would include a six lane swimming pool, fitness studio, spin studio, gym and 4G sports pitch.
A report by Cllr Andy Smith, cabinet member for leisure and parks, to the overview and scrutiny committee says talks have now taken place with a specialist contractor which could see the facility built quicker than initially thought.
“ReCreation provide an innovative way to build pools above ground. This avoids the costs and lengthy build time of a traditional pool.
“The unique above-ground design is a proven, effective solution to providing swimming facilities at a fraction of the cost of traditional construction.
“Traditionally, swimming pools have been built in-ground. This is done by excavating the site and filling the hole with reinforced concrete, which is later waterproofed and then tiled. In recent years, however, above-ground pools have become more common. This is due to the significant savings made on time, cost and environmental impact compared to a traditional in-ground, concrete pool.
“Typically, above-ground facilities are constructed in 14 months, being at least 20% quicker than an in-ground build.”
Cllr Andy Smith, Lichfield District Council
The report added using the alternative method of construction would also provide future benefits.
“Above-ground swimming pools are designed to last the life of a building when maintained correctly. Ease of maintenance means repairs can be made without large-scale, structural changes. That means an above-ground pool would last at least 50 years if the building itself is kept running and is well managed.
“Due to the stainless-steel structure of an above-ground pool, maintenance is predictable and costs less than what it would take to repair an in-ground pool.”
Cllr Andy Smith, Lichfield District Council
The road to a new leisure centre
The future of leisure provision has been debated since proposals were initially put forward to close Friary Grange Leisure Centre in 2019.
The plans came about after many of the facilities at the site were transferred to The Friary School as part of its academisation. Despite criticism of the move, one councillor said the transfer of the assets was because “the school wanted their facilities back”.
But the comments failed to halt the public pressure and a petition eventually forced Lichfield District Council to rethink the proposals, with a meeting at the Lichfield Garrick eventually confirming the existing centre would be kept open in the short term.
However, with the stay of execution only being temporary, discussions were already taking place on creating a replacement leisure centre in Lichfield.
Cllr Smith’s report to the overview and scrutiny committee next week revealed that the cost of keeping Friary Grange Leisure Centre open was continuing to mount.
“A 2019 condition survey identified £2.38million of works needed to keep the building safe, watertight, and weatherproof and keep mechanical and electrical functions working, with a minimum of £503,000 investment needed to make the building safe, watertight, weatherproof, and operational alone.
“A total of £694,658.62 was assigned with £560,930.17 being used to date, leaving a remaining budget of £130,243.75.
“Despite this remedial investment, the Friary Grange Leisure Centre is still nearing end of useful life with significant further investment required to maintain it in its current poor condition and so a decision on its replacement is now imperative.”
Cllr Andy Smith, Lichfield District Council
The local authority’s leadership began the search for a new location, focusing primarily on sites it already owned due to the prohibitive price of buying land on top of the construction costs.
That review led councillors to identify Stychbrook Park as the preferred location after ruling out places including Saddlers Wood, Darnford Park, Birmingham Road site, Shortcuts Park, Stowe Fields, Leomansley Park and Beacon Park.
Preparatory work took place in 2021 to assess the suitability of the chosen site, but councillors have since been told more needs to be done to explain to residents why the park is the best place for a new leisure centre.
The overview and scrutiny committee report says factors such as proximity to the existing Friary Grange Leisure Centre and the impact on public space and ecology being less than other locations meant Stychbrook Park had emerged as the preferred location.
“A state-of-the-art facility”
After the uncertainty of the funding for the facility, details are now beginning to emerge about what the new facility might look like.
Cllr Smith’s report said:
“The council visited a ReCreation site in Rainham in Essex in December 2022. The build is on behalf of Havering Borough Council and the site compares greatly to Lichfield’s needs, with a new state-of-the-art facility offering a dance and spinning studio, 72 station fitness suite and six lane swimming pool.
“ReCreation was then appointed as our special advisors to undertake an initial strategic brief. This work has commences and will include high level site analysis, internal and external drawings and a Royal Institute of British Architects report which will be used to aid with decisions on the future of this project.”
Cllr Andy Smith, Lichfield District Council
Work has also been carried out in order to ensure the new Stychbrook Park leisure centre would meet the demands of the local community going forward.
Cllr Smith’s report explained:
“An assessment of the sport and leisure needs of district residents up to 2040 has been completed in accordance with Sport England’s guidance.
“As part of this assessment, primary research was commissioned including online face-to-face surveys and targeted focus groups including people with disabilities, young people, and older adults.
“A key finding from the assessment highlighted that the age and condition of the current facilities was a barrier to participation.”
Cllr Andy Smith, Lichfield District Council
Despite being a replacement for Friary Grange Leisure Centre, some aspects of the existing provision will not be transferred over under current plans with the sports hall and squash courts among the aspects not featuring in the new proposals.
But Cllr Smith said the project was designed to allow additional elements to be added at a later date.
“The council’s ambition, in proposing the modular approach to developing a new leisure centre, is for there to be an ability and flexibility to add to those facilities with, for example, a sports hall and learner swimming pool as further funding becomes available in the future.”
Cllr Andy Smith, Lichfield District Council
