Frost and freezing temperatures had a “considerable effect” on progress to revamp a dilapidated leisure centre in Tuebrook, with further delays now expected.
After years of waiting, Liverpool Council signed off for work to begin on the upgrade and repair at the crumbling Peter Lloyd Lifestyles leisure centre. An urgent decision was taken by officers in August to green light the pot of cash needed to bring the popular location back into service.
The site is unable to open to the public in any form in its current state of repair. It is estimated that closure of the site has lost the local authority £1m a year in potential revenue.
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After being hampered by wet weather in the autumn, an update from Mark Lancaster, manager of the city’s Lifestyles centres, has revealed further challenges to progress by the cold snap in December. In an email, seen by the ECHO, Mr Lancaster said work is continuing to progress following wet weather and issues with roof loading.
He added: “The revised specification necessary to resolve the loading issue with the right hand side roofs has been approved by building control and an instruction issued to the contractor. The revised anticipated completion date for the roof works is the end of February, recent frost and minus temperatures have had a considerable effect on works that can be completed.”
Work on the building’s canopy will begin from Monday following the contractor’s shutdown over the festive season. According to Mr Lancaster’s update, a meeting was held with Liverpool Council’s leisure team and contractor Kier to scope out the internal works on December 7.
A document outlining what was agreed is being produced by Kier for sign off by the city council following which a programme will be issued. Mr Lancaster’s email said “corporate issues” were holding up formal appointment of a contractor to take on the internal works and was “likely” to impact on the programme, but would not affect external roof work.
The prospective delays were criticised by Cllr Steve Radford, leader of the Liberal Party group, and Tuebrook member. He said: “For the last four years my team has been lobbying robustly to secure funds and this progress.
“It makes no sense a Labour council left one of the two busiest and most profitable sports centres mothballed for four years. It should have been the first priority for investment on just business criteria, not the last.”
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