Worthing £22m pool plans 'scaled back by £7m' (From The Argus)

Worthing £22m pool plans 'scaled back by £7m'

7:00am Tuesday 14th July 2009 in

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Plans for a new £22 million swimming pool could be scaled back by £7 million as the recession bites.

There was dismay at the announcement by Worthing Borough Council which said its top priority was to build a modern Aquarena.

The council said it had just over £10 million in the bank from the sale of land to developers.

But the scheme had been dealt a major blow by the council's failure to sell the prime seafront Grafton site.

The council said it could not afford to borrow £12 million and was therefore being urged by officers to lower the budget to £15 million.

This would enable work to begin on the 25m pool next to the existing 33m Aquarena site in Brighton Road.

But critics feared the council will now deliver only a basic pool without fun facilities such as flumes for families.

A report being considered by the council's cabinet last night said: “When funding the pool was discussed property values were high and the construction industry in good heart.

“However, the recession has had a dramatic effect.

“While we have been able to complete the sale of land at Sea Place/Eirene Road it is looking unlikely that the cash anticipated from the Grafton site will materialise in the original timescale.”

Councillors had three choices, delay the scheme until the market picked up, borrow a huge sum, or slash the budget by £7 million.

The report added: “The council is faced with the prospect of building a smaller pool now or waiting several years until the available sites are sold.

“Delaying the project by four or five years is not acceptable.

“It is not affordable to borrow £12 million at this time. This leaves only one option, to reduce the cost to £15 million.”

Coun James Doyle, leader of the Lib Dem opposition, said: “We are going to be back to a bare bones scheme.

“I think they are talking about losing all the external leisure waters and some internal facilities.

“When other towns have significantly upgraded their pools we cannot even afford to stand still let alone go backwards.

“I hope people are upset and angry. They deserve better. It's ridiculous that Worthing families are driving to The Triangle in Burgess Hill or Horsham because we haven't got a good enough pool.”

Coun John Rogers, cabinet member for Health, Safety and Wellbeing, said it was a bitter blow but hoped they could increase the budget above £15 million.

He said: “There's a big disappointment because the Grafton site fell through, and we are reluctant to borrow the money because of the interest costs.”

Coun Rogers hoped architects could come up with something similar to the £22 million scheme.

He added: “When you think of all the millions in Lottery accounts waiting to be allocated, and we cannot get money for a project like this, I feel really annoyed.”

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