Council pushes ahead with sale of Ripon Spa Baths to private developer
The borough council are pushing ahead with the sale to unnamed private developer as previously planned
Last updated 31st Mar 2022
Harrogate Borough Council is pushing ahead with the sale of Ripon Spa Baths to a private developer after no further bids were received for the historic building.
The council said the baths – which date back to 1905 – will be given a “new lease of life” and “remain a city landmark” under the proposed sale which was announced last year.
An unnamed private developer was lined up to buy the Grade II listed building, but the sale was put on hold for six months after Ripon City Council successfully nominated the baths as an asset of community value.
This protected status meant any community bids could come forward.
However, the borough council has confirmed none were received and that it was now pushing ahead with the sale as previously planned.
A council spokesperson said: “Following Ripon Spa Baths being listed as an asset of community value and the relevant moratorium periods initiated and concluded, we received no further bids for the purchase of the property.
“The generation of funds from assets that are no longer needed allows significant investment to be made in new facilities, such as the new pool in Ripon, the redevelopment of the Hydro in Harrogate and the new leisure and wellness centre in Knaresborough.
“Due to the sale of the baths being ongoing, the details of the preferred bidder are confidential.”
Although Ripon City Council nominated the baths as an asset of community value, it did not make a bid to buy the building.
This is because it believes the city should be gifted the baths which had previously been under the control of the Ripon borough until 1974 when Harrogate Borough Council was created.
Ripon Spa Baths was the last of its kind to be built in England and was officially opened by Princess Henry of Battenberg 117 years ago.
The building was previously put up for sale by the borough council in 2008 with a reported £3.3 million price tag, but it was later taken off the market after a community campaign.
It is now up for sale again for an unknown asking price as a new swimming pool has opened at Ripon’s newly-named Jack Laugher Leisure and Wellness Centre.
The new pool opened after months of costly delays on 2 March and refurbishment works on the adjoining leisure centre are still underway after the discovery of an underground void prompted the need for an ongoing investigation.