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26
Feb 2022
£13 million Knaresborough Leisure Centre plans to go to vote on Monday
Plans for a £13 million leisure centre in Knaresborough will go to the vote on Monday after a decision was previously delayed due to a “technical error”.
Harrogate Borough Council’s planning committee was recommended to approve the controversial plans last week, but an error meant residents were not invited to speak at a meeting.
The council apologised and has now rescheduled a decision for 2pm on Monday.
Residents and campaign groups are expected to speak against the plans which include the demolition of the existing Knaresborough Swimming Pool at Fysche Field and building the new leisure centre over a play area to the rear.
Several concerns have been raised over the environmental impacts of demolishing a large building to replace it with another, as well as whether the new facility is needed.
Knaresborough Civic Society has repeatedly called on councillors to reject the plans in favour of rival proposals from the ‘Not on Fysche Field’ campaign group which has produced designs to upgrade the existing 30-year-old swimming pool.
A civic society spokesperson said:
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A public consultation on five potential locations for the proposed leisure centre was held in 2020 and referred to locating the facility “on the site of the existing pool”.
However, it was only several months after this that the council revealed it wants to build the leisure centre over a play area to the rear.
The other locations previously considered included Knaresborough House, Hay-a-Park, Conyngham Hall and a plot of land at Halfpenny Lane.
The council has hailed its proposals for Fysche Field as an opportunity to provide a “modern” and “fit-for-purpose” facility for Knaresborough’s growing population.
And if approved, the council said the new leisure centre could be built by the end of 2023.
Monday’s decision will be followed by a cabinet meeting on Wednesday when councillors will be asked to approve a £28million contract for Bristol-based firm Alliance Leisure to build the new leisure centre in Knaresborough and refurbish Harrogate Hydro.
This comes after plans for a two-storey extension of the Hydro were approved in October 2021.
These proposals include demolishing the existing entrance and replacing it with a larger reception area on the ground floor, as well as a new fitness suite on the first floor.
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