SPORTS CENTRES

An indoor velodrome and a 50-metre swimming pool could be built in Derby as part of a major overhaul of the city's sport and leisure facilities. The new swimming complex would replace Derby's ageing Queen Street baths and the velodrome could also be used as a concert venue with a capacity of up to 3,000 people.

Almost £50m could be spent on the facilities. The proposals will be put to the city council's cabinet in 2010. The proposals are the result of work by the council and specialist consultants.

The announcement comes as a Sport England survey placed Derby in the bottom quarter for customer satisfaction in its leisure facilities. Derby City Council's director of environmental services, Paul Robinson, said, "People are saying that the current facilities are not suitable, they're not acceptable in terms of the modern state they expect, that they don't meet their aspirations." No sites for the venue have yet been put forward and the cost of the new developments are likely to be met through long-term borrowing and external funding.

The Lib Dem cabinet has backed the plans, saying it would put £50m into the council's budget for them. The money would come from long-term loans, paid back by taxpayers' money and grants from sporting organisations. Councillor Joe Naitta, cabinet member for leisure and culture, said, "The costs are significant but our existing centres are nearing the end of their lives and cost a lot to maintain and refurbish. This is about looking forward and getting something for the city's future." (Source: BBC News, Dec/09)

Moorways, would be demolished and rebuilt and Oakwood would get its long-awaited swimming pool under ambitious £50m plans to revitalise leisure in the city. The proposals would see an Olympic-sized pool in the city centre, and Gayton Pool, which families fought a 10-year battle to save, would play a major role. The aim is to have two main sports "hubs" in the city, Moorways and the city centre pool, and four smaller centres, one at Gayton, and another at Oakwood's Springwood Leisure Centre, which would get a 25m, four-lane indoor pool, costing around £4m.

Lib Dem Oakwood councillor Frank Harwood said he was delighted Springwood leisure centre was a preferred option. He said, "This is something people in Oakwood have been asking for for a long time and it will be great if this leisure plan means it can finally happen." Chris Harrington, secretary of Gayton Community Association which fought to get the pool there rebuilt when the council wanted it demolished, said, "We fought because we felt it was a crucial part of the community. It is encouraging the council is considering making it one of the key centres in the city."

The two other "satellite" centres could be at schools, with Woodlands, Noel Baker and Sinfin in the running. The proposals, drawn up by independent consultants PMPGenisis, identify Moorways for major development, becoming the site for a 250m indoor cycling velodrome providing Olympic-standard facilities, a 10 to 12-court sports hall, and 80m indoor athletics track, bar and cafe. The outdoor 400m track will be replaced. The city centre Queen's Leisure Centre would be closed. A site for the second hub, including an Olympic swimming pool, is not suggested but PMPGenisis said it should be within the city centre, close to public transport connections.

Springwood Leisure Centre is the preferred site for one of four "satellite" offices. It would service the east of the city while the suggestion for the west centre is the replacement Gayton Pool, at a cost of more than £1m. The north centre is proposed to be a refurbished site at Woodlands School and possible locations in the south for another 25m, four-lane pool with 40-station gym costing £4m include Noel Baker School and Sinfin School. No definite sites will be chosen until after the council has consulted the public. Subject to consultation and permission, work could begin in 2011-12.

The £50m for the schemes would come from long-term borrowing, paid back by taxpayers' money and grants from sporting organisations. Funding that borrowing would cost the council an additional £2.75m a year from 2013 and £634,000 has already been worked into the proposed budget for 2011-2, increasing to £2.2m in 2012-3. Councillor Joe Naitta, member for leisure and culture, said the costs could be justified as value for money, even in light of spending cuts at the authority. He said, "Our leisure centres are nearing the end of their lives and if we don't invest in our facilities we will find that a lot would not last that long."

The authority said refurbishing centres would cost it £18m, while remodelling them on existing sites would cost £37m. Mr Naitta said, "Just like-for-like replacements would cost £37m, so for an extra £13m we would get an Olympic swimming pool which could be split into two 25m training pools and a velodrome which would put us on the cycling map." The consultants' report suggests that the council phases in the changes, starting with the indoor swimming hub. It states that Queen's Leisure Centre and the Moorways Leisure Centre should be kept open until the new site is working.

The outdoor hub with velodrome would be constructed at Moorways or an alternative site. Pride Park was another option, but that would require the council to buy land. Once the velodrome was open, the new pool would be built in the south to make up for the loss of Moorways and the refurbishment of Gayton would continue. Later phases would see Woodlands School's pool refurbished, a pool added at Springwood and investment in the Shaftesbury Sports Centre, Normanton, with better access and changing rooms. (Source: Derby Evening Telegraph, Jan/10)

Duckworth Square and the land where the former Debenhams store used to stand has made a shortlist of sites for an Olympic-sized swimming pool in Derby. A study commissioned by the city council to see which would be the best sites for two leisure hubs, an Olympic-sized swimming pool and a velodrome, has picked out Becketwell as a front runner for the swimming pool option. Also making the shortlist for the £50m leisure strategy is the site of the former Derbyshire Royal Infirmary. The council has set aside money in its budget to drive the plans forward and is not relying on direct Government funding but does need to borrow money to make it happen.

It hopes by choosing sites carefully for the scheme, it can use that funding to regenerate key areas of the city, such as Becketwell, at a time when private sector and central government spending is sparse. The hospital site scored highest because of good accessibility but a masterplan for the city states this land would be best used for a housing development. A series of problems were identified with the Becketwell plot, including a potential problem with parking, the number of different land owners involved and the nearby conservation area.

But the report, carried out by PMP Genesis, states that the land is one of the council's highest priorities. Councillor Alan Grimadell, cabinet member for leisure and culture, said, "There are several eyesore sites in Derby and we want to see these developed where possible and this strategy provides is with opportunities for that. While the DRI site has come out on top, we will also look at others, such as Becketwell. I think what we also need to focus on is that while the velodrome is for the people of Derby, it should also be a regional facility and would also be able to hold concerts and exhibitions."

For the velodrome hub, three sites have made the shortlist. The Chaddesden Sidings land on the river bank near Pride Park, which is owned by Network Rail, scored the highest. Land earmarked for housing at the Manor Kingsway site came in second place. Moorways Sports Centre came in third place. Mr Grimadell said, "Moorways is an important, strategic site but there are others such as the Chaddesden Sidings and Manor Kingsway sites which do score better and we need to look at." The council's cabinet will consider the report tonight before deciding whether to keep the consultants on board for a further £45,000 and set up a board to drive the plans forward.

If they agree, the council will start discussions with land owners so that, by the summer, it will be able to chose a preferred site for both the swimming pool and velodrome hubs. Work could then begin on building the centres in 2011-12 and the new facilities would include:

Indoor Hub:

Eight-lane, 50m pool
Teaching pool
Leisure water and flumes
Spectator area for 500
Soft play area
Cafe
Fitness gym with 100 stations
Two dance/aerobic studios
Climbing wall
250-300 parking spaces

Outdoor Hub:

250m indoor velodrome
Up to 1,000 seats for spectators
Large foyer
400m outdoor athletics track
1km closed road cycling circuit

(Source: Derby Evening Telegraph, Jun/10)