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Sports quarter and pool backed by government

Aimee Dexter & Alice Cunningham
BBC News, Peterborough
Shariqua Ahmed / BBC Exterior building of the regional pool with metal grills at the entrance and construction material on site Shariqua Ahmed / BBC
Asbestos issues and out-of-date mechanical installations were also found at the pool

Plans for a swimming pool in a city that has been left without one for almost two years have been backed by the government.

Reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac) was first discovered at Peterborough's Regional Pool in September 2023 and it was forced to shut.

In her Spending Review on Wednesday, Chancellor Rachel Reeves said she would establish funding to help the City Council develop plans for a sports quarter, including a pool.

Andrew Pakes, the Labour MP for the city, said it was the "only one of the top 10 fastest growing cities in the country without a public pool".

Martin Giles/BBC Andrew Pakes is looking at the camera smiling. He has short light brown hair and is wearing a blue shirt and a navy suit jacket. Martin Giles/BBC
Andrew Pakes, Labour MP for Peterborough, said the announcement was a "good day for Peterborough"

In her speech to Parliament, Reeves said the government would establish a Growth Mission Fund worth £240m "to expedite local projects that are important for growth".

She said a sports quarter would form part of the Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) campus in the city and it would "drive activity and community cohesion".

Following the speech, Pakes said: "Today's backing from the government for the principle of a new pool and sports quarter, bringing together ARU Peterborough, the council and others means we can now bid for the funding, put the business case in and get a new pool in the city centre."

PA Media Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves leaves 11 Downing Street, London, ahead of delivering her spending review in the House of Commons. She has shoulder length brown hair and wears a pale green suit jacket with a white blouse underneath.PA Media
Rachel Reeves has said the government would provide funding to help plans for a Peterborough sports quarter get drawn up

A decision was made to permanently close the Regional Pool in March 2024 due to high repair costs, with demolition work expected to take place until July.

It was hoped that a replacement pool, which would be built at an estimated cost of £30m, would be open by 2028.

Pakes said it could be about 18 months before work on the sports quarter would begin.

Funding is expected to be confirmed in the summer.

Shariqua Ahmed/ BBC Regional Pool building with a collapsed roof and frontage and an orange digger in front of it.Shariqua Ahmed/ BBC
The Regional Pool site on Bishop's Road has been boarded up, with demolition works expected to finish in July

City of Peterborough Swimming Club has been left without a home since the regional pool shut.

Morgan Stevenson from the club said it was "thrilled" by the announcement both for the club and the wider community.

Leader of the council, Dennis Jones, described the announcement as "fantastic" and said the council would work "at pace" on the business case before it was submitted to the government.

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