A sports club have accused the district council of ‘shallow promises’ as changes and a delay to the proposed redevelopment of the Castle Sports Complex were announced.
After being a key consultant and having been involved in the successful bid for £20m of government Levelling Up funding, Spalding Water Polo Club say South Holland District Council is being ‘disingenuous’ after ditching a plan for the proposed new pool to have a moveable floor.
It was something requested by themselves and the South Lincs Swimming Club to allow competitive swimming to take place.
But having a fixed floor for the pool instead is one of the changes announced by the district council last week.
“The whole approach and the way it’s going is fundamentally wrong,” said Nick Rickett, Spalding Polo Club treasurer. “Flexible floors are a feature of modern pool designs.
“This would be a step backwards; why would you build a modern facility to an old design?
“You won’t be able to develop any competitive pool sports, setting South Holland and Spalding back for the next 50 years.”
Announcing the changes, Coun Gary Taylor claimed that as well as the financial aspect of ‘global factors and changes in the construction market’, the results of ground investigations had not made it viable to have a moveable floor.
Nick described that as ‘ridiculous’.
“It’s mismanagement if the architects didn’t realise that when the plans were originally done,” he said. “Did they not visit the site and see the Castle Sport is lifted above ground?”
Nick said the club can and does play with a fixed floor but it would need to drill a goal into the side of the pool at the shallow end rather than the floating goals that are meant to be used in the sport.
“It’s not just us, there are a whole host of reasons for having a flexible floor, from competitive swimming to better access to the disabled and more flexibility in terms of swimming classes,” Nick continued. “I went back to look at the initial consultation responses and the council’s view was the moving floor was a mitigating factor for a lot of those measures. Presumably those mitigations are now longer relevant.
“If the council say they’ve engaged with clubs in developing the plan they can get lost.
“Shallow promises sums up the situation.”
The club were invited to a meeting outlining the changes last week but were unable to attend and only learned of them from the council’s announcement that said there had been ‘minor changes’ to the pool.
Nick says other changes include vastly reducing the spectator areas around the pool, which he says will also affect the likes of South Lincs Swimming Club.
Other changes to the scheme include the introduction of a new ‘running loop’ with 100metre sprint straight, ‘improved cycling provision’ including alternative ‘roller’ and ‘rock garden’ features along with ‘Go Ride’ circuit markings and bike stands.
A ground floor fitness suite and studios will now be created on the existing first floor.
The project has not been delayed with it now due to go before the district council’s own Planning Committee early next year ahead of planned start on work in April for a summer 2026 completion.
Coun Taylor said: “Our project team have met with the Water Polo Club and other key groups and stakeholders during the engagement phase and following the submission of the recently updated plans, to provide updates on progress and listen to their feedback on the proposals.
“We recognise and understand the specific hopes and ambitions of these groups for this once-in-a-generation piece of investment, and that the need to alter the original plans will have been disappointing for some of them.
“Despite the changes, we remain committed to delivering an exciting scheme that delivers a quality new Health and Wellbeing Hub that will benefit as many of our residents as possible.”
Global factors and the construction market have changed significantly since the original bid was made, as has what is technically possible on the site following further ground investigation, and it is important that we respond to these factors, and the feedback from local and national bodies, to ensure we are able to provide this.
“I am still delighted that we are able to submit these updated proposals for the new health and wellbeing hub, that bring us a step closer to work getting underway and these fantastic, transformational new facilities becoming a reality for South Holland, and safeguarding the district’s access to quality swimming and leisure facilities for many years to come.”
