Designs for £36m new pool to go on display

The first designs for a new £36m city centre swimming pool have been released.

Peterborough City Council said plans for the leisure facility, due to be built by the Embankment, were taking shape and would go on public display on 19 May.

The new building will house the city's only public indoor swimming pool, after the Regional Pool on Bishop's Road was knocked down due to structural issues.

A planning application is due to be submitted in July, with construction planned to start early next year. The pool will then open in 2028.

The new facility is set to have a 25m (92ft) eight-lane pool, another 20m (65ft) activity pool with a moveable floor, a cafe, family play area, health and wellbeing rooms, a fitness suite and a number of studios.

A drop-in session to see the detailed plans will take place at Sand Martin House in Fletton Quays, between 10:00 and 19:00 BST on 19 May, where people can also talk to the design team.

Jamie Fenton, culture sports and leisure partnership manager at the council, said: "We know that residents are still feeling the loss of the Regional Fitness and Swimming Centre and that is why we are moving as quickly as we can to deliver a new, modern facility for the city.

"We had a fantastic response to the initial engagement activity earlier in the year and we have used what people told us to develop the next phase of planning and designs.

"It is really exciting to be at a stage where we can show these to people and start having conversations around what a new leisure development will offer our residents."

The council said £20m to build the site had come from the government's Growth Mission Fund, and £16m had been committed by the authority, but it was still looking for private funding and grants "to assist with the costs".

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