Leisure centre expansion plans put on hold

Plans to expand Godalming Leisure Centre have been put on hold due to the financial impact of Covid-19.

Waverley Borough Council has put a brake on the planned expansion at the centre, which would have provided an extended gym, a second dance studio and more changing rooms.

However a plan to buy land from Broadwater School to accommodate the enlarged centre building and more parking spaces will go ahead.

Councillors at last week's Executive meeting approved the move.

The decision was made after Places Leisure, which runs the centres at Godalming, Farnham and Cranleigh, said it would not be able to afford increased management fees at the Godalming site agreed before the pandemic struck.

The higher fees were agreed on the basis that Waverley would foot the bill for the expansion work. Waverley officers said the financial shortfall meant the project was no longer viable, and recommended the plans be put on hold until 2023.

The council will go ahead with an application to the Secretary of State to allow the land at Broadwater School to be used to extend the leisure centre and provide more parking spaces.

Officers said in a report to the Executive: "It is proposed that any future leisure investment will coincide with the retendering of the leisure centre management contract which ends in June 2023. It is envisaged that the impact of the pandemic will be more clearly understood at this time and presents the best opportunity to achieve value for money for the council."

Plans to improve Farnham Leisure Centre have also been put on hold, although investment in the Craneigh centre will still go ahead. The leisure investments were approved by the council in July 2018.

Waverley councillor Liz Townsend said: "Although disappointing to put these key corporate projects on hold, it is simply a reality that our leisure centres have lost a huge amount of income as a result of the pandemic.

"To date, the Government has not announced any financial support packages specifically for them to alleviate the impact upon the operators and local authorities such as ourselves. We will continue to work closely with Places Leisure to understand the level of support needed to ensure future leisure provision is available for residents to enjoy."