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29
Nov 2021
Ripon pool delay not linked to sinkhole issues, says council
Harrogate Borough Council has said "categorically" that a delay to the opening of Ripon's new swimming pool is not linked to ground stability issues and the threat of sinkholes.
The six-lane pool on Dallamires Lane was due to open on December 8 but the council said on Friday this had been delayed because a fault with the lining of the pool had been found during testing. The pool is now due to open in January but no precise date has been confirmed.
A council spokesman said pool manufacturer Myrtha would be carrying out additional work to fix the problem, at no extra cost to the council.
A swimming pool liner is a vinyl surface that is attached to the walls and floor of a pool to help keep in the water.
There have been long-standing concerns about sinkholes on the land the pool has been built on. But a council spokesman said the two issues were not linked.
Harrogate Borough Council closed Ripon Spa Baths last month in anticipation of the new pool opening. The delay to the Dallamires Lane pool means there is nowhere to go for a swim in Ripon until the new year.
Read more:
- BREAKING: Ripon pool opening delayed until January after fault found
- EXCLUSIVE: Ripon leisure scheme racks up additional £1m cost
Concerns have again been raised recently that the site could be permanently plagued by the threat of sinkholes.
This month, a council-commissioned report by engineering company Stantec outlined measures to mitigate the effects of a void that was detected last year.
Dr Alan Thompson, a geologist and director of Cuesta Consulting in Somerset, called for the council to postpone a decision on the measures and give greater consideration to finding an alternative site.
Senior councillors voted to press ahead with plans to carry out further work while opening most of the site.
The Stray Ferret revealed last week that Ripon’s new leisure project is now more than £4m over budget.
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