Watercourse under leisure centre factor in new Halifax swimming pool depth plan

For months a row has raged in Calderdale over the depth of a new swimming pool which will form part of a new multi-million pound leisure centre to be built on the site of the existing one at North Bridge, Halifax.

The water depth of the new design will not be deep enough for some clubs, including national champions Halifax Synchronised Swimming Club, to use.

In the public question time session at November’s full meeting of Calderdale Council, Michael Bradley asked if it was even feasible to dig the pool deeper as the corridor through which Hebble Brook flows is only eight metres below the site.

The council has said the pool could be made deeper but at a cost of an extra £2 million, which is unaffordable, although groups and opposition politicians have asked if a £12.2 million

Levelling Up fund award could be used to make changes.

Cabinet member for Regeneration and Strategy, Coun Jane Scullion (Lab, Luddenden Foot) said it was still technically possible to provide the extra depth, if there was enough money and enough time – councillors have previously heard some grant awards have time limits.

“But he is right it would require significant engineering and technical challenges, and to budget and time,” she said.

However, later in the meeting Coun Sue Holdsworth (Lib Dem, Greetland and Stainland) raised the issue of a document produced for the council four years ago outlining its “built facilities” strategy.

This identified the need to retain provision for diving and synchronised swimming as well as wider flexibility to deliver swimming lessons, club swimming and a wide range of swimming programmes.

The 2017 document recommends the council “commit to replacing Halifax pool; with a facility mix that addresses the current shortfall in provision and enables the continued delivery of key sports currently accommodated (i.e. swimming, diving, and synchronised swimming) and also creating a modern, fit for purpose health and fitness offer which can compete with the increasing private sector offer in the area.”

Coun Holdsworth said the strategy was used to explore funding opportunities with Sport England and queried whether changes would put this in jeopardy.

“Would you accept the council risks losing Sport England funding if it doesn’t align with the council’s own strategy?” she said.

Coun Scullion said the 2017 strategy provided an overview of needs but also clarified there had to be testing regarding feasibility and affordability.

Sport England had been involved and updated as designs had developed, she said.

A bid to Sport England’s Strategic Facilities Bidding Fund would be completed shortly, said Coun Scullion.

After the meeting Kirsty McGregor, a parent and a team manager at Halifax Synchronised Swimming Club said she was pleased the strategy document had been uncovered and brought to the council’s attention.

“We have been told by Sport England that they asked Calderdale Council to write this strategy document some years ago as it provides evidence of the area’s needs, an important step when applying for any potential grant funding.

“Why do the new plans contradict this strategy and why has it not even been mentioned in the documents submitted to planning?” she said.

Ms McGregor said she questioned what value the public have had from the tens of thousands of pounds of professional fees spent on planning consultants.

“Rather, we have ended up with a standard blueprint, a basic model, not meeting the local needs at all,” she said.

The new pool will replace the existing Halifax Swimming Pool at Skircoat Road, which dates back to the 1960s, which closed at the onset of the pandemic, with the council saying it will not re-open as it is too expensive to repair.

The synchronised swimming club lobbied councillors at the authority’s September meeting with their “dig a little deeper” protest, and also has issues with a lack of spectator seating, necessary for a competition pool.