The building of a new leisure centre in the outer west of Newcastle has been “undermined” by the chaos in government, an MP has warned.
Catherine McKinnell hit out after it emerged this week that the cost of the new complex due to be built in West Denton has shot up by almost £4m and its opening date has been pushed back. Construction is now due to start next month on the centre in West Denton Way, which will act as a replacement for the area’s existing swimming pool that was shut down in 2020 by operator GLL.
The current West Denton library and customer service centre will also be demolished to make way for the new development, the bulk of which is being funded by a £19.8m grant from the government’s Levelling Up Fund (LUF). But there have been worries across the country about the impact that the current economic crisis will have on LUF-backed projects and whether local councils will still be able to deliver them, with inflation pushing up building costs substantially.
Read More: Worry over 'incredibly challenging' West Denton leisure centre as work delayed and costs rise
Newcastle City Council confirmed this week that the bill for the West Denton scheme is now estimated at a total £26m, up from the original £22.3m, and that it would be seeking up to £2m from Sport England to help cover the escalating costs – as well as needing to put in more funding from its own coffers.
Urging the government not to “backtrack on its promises”, Newcastle North MP Catherine McKinnell warned during a debate in the House of Commons on Wednesday: “We have seen 12 years of cuts to our public services and our facilities, but one small glimmer of hope for the people in my city was a successful Levelling Up bid for a leisure centre in the outer west of Newcastle. However, that project is now being undermined because of this disastrous economic outlook and soaring inflation costs, part of which is a result of the mini-budget.”
Coun Lesley Storey, the city council’s cabinet member responsible for leisure, said on Monday that the West Denton project was “incredibly challenging, there is no doubt about it” – but that she still has faith that it will come to fruition.
She added: “Up and down the country we are seeing lots of authorities who are very challenged around Levelling Up. Some are very worried that they are not going to be able to deliver, so we have given this our highest priority. I am in a position right now where I feel very confident about the progress we are making.”
It had been hoped that the new leisure centre would be open by summer 2024, but that target date has been pushed back to December of that year. The council blamed that delay on a change in arrangements to procure a design and construction partner, site investigations requiring extra groundworks, and a longer build time due to extra facilities being added onto the original design – including a bigger swimming pool and enlarged children’s play area.
The new leisure centre will feature a 25m swimming pool with eight lanes, a 17m training pool, an aqua play pool, a sports hall, a fitness studio and gym, a library, community spaces, a soft play area, and a cafe.
Read More:
- 'Unwelcome' fare hike for bus passengers as major operator Go North East announces new ticket prices
- Staff working with refugees accused of 'wanting to just clock off' after damning Newcastle hotel probe
- Bids confirmed for low-tax North East investment zones to create '23,000 jobs and 8,000 homes'
- 'Absolutely no credibility' - Council leader's warning over Liz Truss' £25bn rail upgrade promise
- Government silent on plans to 'accelerate' huge North East transport projects – including A1 dualling and Tyne Bridge
