Local leaders dismiss calls for new swimming pool in Norwich
They say there's no money for the project
Last updated 17th Jul 2023
There are no plans for a new swimming pool in the city any time soon, council leaders have said.
Hopes for a new pool in Norwich have been raised repeatedly over the years but have now been quashed – for the time being.
The Labour-led City Hall currently owns one swimming pool at the Riverside Leisure Centre, near the city centre.
While Norwich City Council leaders have said they would like to see a second option there is no spare money for the project at the moment.
Mike Stonard, the city council leader, said: “There are no formal plans at the moment but it is clear that another public pool is needed.
“But it’s a matter of finances and where that would come from.
“Having another pool would be really really good, but the priority – what people are more concerned about – is decent homes, when it comes to our capital expenditure.”
Beth Jones, the deputy council leader, added: “At the moment, any decision around developing anything the numbers really have to stack up because there isn’t any spare money.
“There’s no little bit here little bit there, and the cost of building everything has significantly gone up.”
The possibility of a new pool at the Mile Cross depot was suggested in November 2018, as Norwich City Council considered what to do with the site.
While the council was exploring building homes on the site it looked into whether the money generated from the new homes could allow the construction of a leisure facility, including a pool.
But a feasibility study finished in 2020 found it did not stack up.
The 10.5 acre site used to be the council’s City Works depot and then became the Mile Cross Business Centre.
It is currently in the early stage of being redeveloped for new homes.