Marple Swimming Pool currently closed

[marpleexile]

There is not a lot of room on that site .

If you brought a new build up to the boundaries of the site, there would be plenty of room for a full sized pool (the current on in only 4 lanes wide and not even a 25m long), plus a 1/2 decent gym on the second floor, maybe even a studio.

[amazon]

Do we know who has been commissioned to review the options? It strikes me that there will be a Feasibility Study which should undertake a site appraisal of viability of various site options and compare against an impact assessment of what would happen if it were to close. The trouble is if other sites are to be considered that process can take months to identify suitable locations, identify cost of purchase and any remediation required (it's always on a brownfield site) and then have a legal review of title and any planning restrictions.

Having done similar on other public sector projects this can take up to 6 months depending on whether there is funding in place or not. Given the budgets identified to date it's likely it would have to come from borrowing which would be a council level decision. If so we therefore need to ensure this is not a party political issue as we need all sides on board to avoid blockages.

Our best option is to demolish the existing pool and rebuild as it would be the cheapest (land already owned and with right classification of use etc). It would also be the quickest as you could procure a Main Contractor and be on site within 12 months of approval of Feasibility and approved funding. Then you would have 12 to 24 months of construction but we would have a facility with a 60 year design life.

If we patch and mend we will be doing this all again in a few years time

There is not a lot of room on that site .

[Will]

Do we know who has been commissioned to review the options? It strikes me that there will be a Feasibility Study which should undertake a site appraisal of viability of various site options and compare against an impact assessment of what would happen if it were to close. The trouble is if other sites are to be considered that process can take months to identify suitable locations, identify cost of purchase and any remediation required (it's always on a brownfield site) and then have a legal review of title and any planning restrictions.

Having done similar on other public sector projects this can take up to 6 months depending on whether there is funding in place or not. Given the budgets identified to date it's likely it would have to come from borrowing which would be a council level decision. If so we therefore need to ensure this is not a party political issue as we need all sides on board to avoid blockages.

Our best option is to demolish the existing pool and rebuild as it would be the cheapest (land already owned and with right classification of use etc). It would also be the quickest as you could procure a Main Contractor and be on site within 12 months of approval of Feasibility and approved funding. Then you would have 12 to 24 months of construction but we would have a facility with a 60 year design life.

If we patch and mend we will be doing this all again in a few years time

[admin]

There was a statement made on behalf of all 6 councillors at Area Committee last night, during the chair's announcements.

https://stockport.public-i.tv/core/portal/webcast_interactive/360609/start_time/194000

As far as I can see all 6 of our councillors are committed to doing their best to ensure that we do not loose the pool, or that we get a new one, but it isn't going to be easy or quick. It sounds like repairs to the current pool will take many months, even if the costs are sanctioned, and building a new one on the same site or elsewhere will take even longer. 

We can debate the reasons why the pool is in the condition it is and who should have done something about it sooner but we are where we are. It is certainly not the fault of a councillor elected just a couple of months ago or even those elected a couple of years ago. Steve has made a pretty clear statement that he doesn't want to loose the pool and that he thinks councillors are united in their views.

The best thing that we members of the public can do is make sure councillors and the council know how important we think it is that Marple has a good swimming facility and that it is not acceptable to not have one.   

[andy+kirsty]

Ah, but for the time being I believe Steve to be a man of principal opposed to the chaps below. I'd suggest most of the constituency have seen through Boris, except Wragg of course.

The point I'm making is that if the elected representatives starting point is weak then the final outcome will be bad. It even suggests that they know the pool may be closed and they don't want to over promise.

See, if I saw a councillor say something like that, I'd be thinking of one Boris Johnson who declared to his constituents that he'd lie down in front of the bulldozers before he'd allow a third runway to be built at Heathrow.  And then was handily out of the country for pointless reasons when given the opportunity to vote on rejecting the third runway...  Or of Zack Goldsmith who resigned from the Conservatives to fight Heathrow's expansion, made a big thing about it, caused a by-election, lost it, then not long after, rejoined the Conservatives again.

Basically, beware of grand gestures made by politicians as quite often, they ain't worth the paper they're written on.

[andrewbowden]

Personally I'd have liked a stronger response. Something along the lines of

" I'll die in a ditch before they close the pool, it is a significant asset to the local area and one that is used by all sections of the community and should be for years to come. The fact that they could consider closing it is wholly unacceptable. I'll resign if the officers /exec don't find the money as will my LD colleagues. A matter of weeks ago we campaigned on this platform and I'm a man of my word etc..."

See, if I saw a councillor say something like that, I'd be thinking of one Boris Johnson who declared to his constituents that he'd lie down in front of the bulldozers before he'd allow a third runway to be built at Heathrow.  And then was handily out of the country for pointless reasons when given the opportunity to vote on rejecting the third runway...  Or of Zack Goldsmith who resigned from the Conservatives to fight Heathrow's expansion, made a big thing about it, caused a by-election, lost it, then not long after, rejoined the Conservatives again.

Basically, beware of grand gestures made by politicians as quite often, they ain't worth the paper they're written on.

[amazon]

So do we all but at a cost of around £10M I don't think it will happen, very interesting that there is no date given for when a decision will be made, no date when the Consultants report will be published, in fact no new dates for anything! Seeing that the pool is over 80 years old what plans did Life Leisure have in place prior to this for a replacement? They are following a well documented path on how Council's close swimming pools, just look at the number of old pools that Manchester have closed in the last 15 years.

If it does needs another location in Marple

[andy+kirsty]

Hi Steve,

Personally I'd have liked a stronger response. Something along the lines of

" I'll die in a ditch before they close the pool, it is a significant asset to the local area and one that is used by all sections of the community and should be for years to come. The fact that they could consider closing it is wholly unacceptable. I'll resign if the officers /exec don't find the money as will my LD colleagues. A matter of weeks ago we campaigned on this platform and I'm a man of my word etc..."

On the list of issues i'd say that this is a bit higher that pointing at muddy verges and speed bumps.

I do have a couple of questions,

How much do you think the reduction in funding from central government since  2010 have impacted on the council's ability to maintain and renew important places like this.

Why when the LDs were in control of the council for the past couple of decades did you not do something about this?

The issue here isn't financial, its political. It's about th future of Marple and whether we will accept fewer facilities than all neighbouring towns. 

Good morning all

Apologies for not posting this when I received it, I was up on the moors with the fire related situation that is ongoing.

A line that Howard used is 100% correct, that the Council are going to work with Councillors to find the best solution. Personally I do not want to see our pool go, I would hate that to happen and I believe we (Councillors) are all thinking this way.

We will of course update whenever we can but please at this stage don't be overly pessimistic, what was published was being honest and with our agreement. Now starts the task of getting the best we can for where we live.

Kind regards

Steve

[Steve Gribbon]

Good morning all

Apologies for not posting this when I received it, I was up on the moors with the fire related situation that is ongoing.

A line that Howard used is 100% correct, that the Council are going to work with Councillors to find the best solution. Personally I do not want to see our pool go, I would hate that to happen and I believe we (Councillors) are all thinking this way.

We will of course update whenever we can but please at this stage don't be overly pessimistic, what was published was being honest and with our agreement. Now starts the task of getting the best we can for where we live.

Kind regards

Steve

[andrewbowden]

So do we all but at a cost of around £10M I don't think it will happen, very interesting that there is no date given for when a decision will be made, no date when the Consultants report will be published, in fact no new dates for anything! Seeing that the pool is over 80 years old what plans did Life Leisure have in place prior to this for a replacement?

Life Leisure are merely the operator.  They don't own the buildings - they just run them.  So they probably had no plans to replace because ultimately that's a council decision,

[Victor M]

Good. I hope we get a decent facility appropriate for the size of the local population.

So do we all but at a cost of around £10M I don't think it will happen, very interesting that there is no date given for when a decision will be made, no date when the Consultants report will be published, in fact no new dates for anything! Seeing that the pool is over 80 years old what plans did Life Leisure have in place prior to this for a replacement? They are following a well documented path on how Council's close swimming pools, just look at the number of old pools that Manchester have closed in the last 15 years.

[Howard]

The telling phrases from the statement are these:

With this level of investment and the existing site constraints, it will not be possible to transform the building into a modern and fit for purpose centre which could widen the health and leisure options available to Marple residents. We know that the site is extremely well used and that there is demand for additional gym and swimming capacity in Marple.

It's too old and too expensive to keep the site going, even in it's current form.

The Council is committed to providing quality swimming and fitness facilities for residents in Marple and is in discussion with local Councillors on the best way of achieving this. The Council wants to keep all options open at this stage and has not yet made any decision on the pool’s future. To aid discussions, the Council has commissioned a leisure expert to investigate options for a new facility which could replace the current pool and gym and possibly offer a wider range of leisure and community facilities. This work has commenced and will develop a series of options for consultation with local residents and user groups.

Good. I hope we get a decent facility appropriate for the size of the local population.

[amazon]

I'd say it's rather neutral.  Nothing has changed in this statement.  They've been saying at least January for ages. 

What it does give is (finally) a public statement on the extent of the problems ("pool fabric and filtration systems, the shell of the building, and the mechanical and electrical systems") and basically states it needs a lot of money to bring it up to code - yet alone refurbish and redevelop it into a better facility.

Equally though, a new facility would cost money.  The question is how much it would cost to give a decent facility.  Keep in mind that in Denton, Tameside council are spending £14m on a new facility in Denton.  It's pretty big admittedly - a 17x8m "small" pool, an 8 lane 25m pool, gym, bowling alley, soft-play etc.  But building new isn't cheap.  Still, the benefits of spending more may well be deemed to be worth it.

Anyway, ultimately the statement changes nothing.  There's still three options:

1) close Marple completely
2) spend the money to repair Marple pool.
3) build a new Marple pool somewhere.

Our councillors will have to look at the options and make a call.

Spending that that money on it is just scatching the surface ,we need new but were and how mutch .there must be funding available from somewere .

[Victor M]

Grand Central's viable for some Marple residents.  I know because I am now going there at least twice a week.  There's free parking in the NCP (if you validate your ticket) and there's five buses an hour that run from Marple and that stop right outside.  It's not ideal.  But I've done worse.  It's not as handy as Romiley but it's an option.

It really does depend on what time you travel, New Mills is quicker and easier to get to than any of the alternatives put forward by Life Leisure/SMBC and nobody has mentioned the impact the closure is having on the Swimming Club!

[andrewbowden]

As I feared, we now face months, if not years waiting for the report, then months waiting for a decision and then years waiting for funding. In the end everyone forgets that there ever was a pool and it's all kicked into the long grass and forgotten about. To say that Hazel Grove & Grand Central are viable alternatives for Marple residents just goes to show how in touch with Marple our Council is. Unfortunately I've seen it all happen before.

Grand Central's viable for some Marple residents.  I know because I am now going there at least twice a week.  There's free parking in the NCP (if you validate your ticket) and there's five buses an hour that run from Marple and that stop right outside.  It's not ideal.  But I've done worse.  It's not as handy as Romiley but it's an option.

Hazel Grove is nearer than Grand Central.  It's inbetween.  But ultimately it's only any use if you have a car.

And if you don't want it kicked into the long grass, well I suggest talking to your friendly local councillors.  I believe one of mine lives across the road from me...