The Stray Ferret can reveal that Ripon’s new swimming pool and leisure centre is more than £3 million pounds over budget.
The running total for the scheme is now in excess of £13.5 million and that figure is likely to increase.
Details of the spending so far and monies allocated for payment, were obtained by Ripon resident and chartered civil engineer Stanley Mackintosh, following Freedom of Information (FOI) requests to Harrogate Borough Council (HBC).
In its FOI response to Mr Mackintosh HBC said that:
- Money already paid for construction and associated works is £12,936,235.55.
- A further £619,427.06, is allocated for payment.
This means that at £13,555,662, the cost for delivery of the high-profile project is more than £3.3 million over budget.
The original 17-month contract signed with construction company and principal contractor Willmott Dixon was for £10.2 million, with a completion date of May this year – but a delay until November was announced last autumn and last week HBC said the new pool will open ‘towards the end of the year.’
There has been growing concern over the project after Mr Mackintosh along with leading geologist Dr Alan Thompson, an expert on Ripon’s gypsum deposit and sinkhole issues, voiced concerns about the suitability of the site and the costs of works to make it safe. A year ago a ‘void’ was discovered while digging foundations at the entrance of the leisure centre.
Councillor Pat Marsh, the lib-dem leader on HBC, has called for a safety investigation which was supported by independent cllr Sid Hawke, who was one of eight councillors on HBC’s planning committee that approved an application two years ago.
Stanley Mackintosh says his concerns about the swimming pool development ‘fell on deaf ears’
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An insight into the extent of ground stabilisation activity (known as grouting) already carried out on the site, was given in July when HBC reported:
“A total of 441 grouting sites received 3,043 tonnes of grout which, along with the casting of a reinforced concrete slab, provides the foundation for the new swimming pool building.”
Mr Mackintosh has endeavoured to find out the finished cost of the project from the council. However it is not revealing details of additional costs it is budgeting for its completion.
HBC said:
“Disclosure of allowances for works not yet agreed would likely put the Council in a commercial disadvantage in its ability to negotiate efficiently in the future.”
Mr Mackintosh told the Stray Ferret:
“I am totally in favour of a new swimming pool and leisure centre for Ripon, but along with others, including councillors and Dr Thompson, I have argued over many years that the Camp Close site, with its known history of ground instability, was not the right place for it.”
Mr Mackintosh, pointed out:
“I made my case as soon as Camp Close was identified as the location for the new pool and also before the planning meeting in June 2019 when it was approved and afterwards, but my words fell on deaf ears.”
Meanwhile, the council, which gave itself planning permission to proceed with the multi-million pound scheme, maintains that keeping the final costs under wraps, ‘outweighs the public interest in disclosing it.’
HBC said in its response to Mr Mackintosh:
“There is significant public interest in not prejudicing the commercial interests of the Council in ensuring that we can operate efficiently in our role by relying on the services of the businesses we have a relationship with.”
Additional construction costs of Ripon swimming pool ‘confidential’
Harrogate Borough Council has said additional costs caused by the delay in completing Ripon’s new swimming pool and leisure centre refurbishment, cannot be revealed due to commercial confidentiality.
Construction firm Willmott Dixon was awarded a £10.2 million contract last year to build the pool and refurbish the leisure centre.
The scheme involves creating a six-lane pool, a health suite, two dance studios, a spin studio and new play areas outside.
The council approved the initiative in June 2019.
Concerns about sinkholes
16 months before the council approved the swimming pool development a sinkhole opened up in the leisure centre car park.
Following the incident in February 2018, which saw the car park barriered off and closed, the council issued this statement:
“The sinkhole will not affect the project to construct a new pool for Ripon. We are still waiting for the structural engineer’s report, which will influence the design of the new building. We’ve always known about the potential of sinkholes on the site which is why we’ve been carrying out tests to understand what foundations may be required.”
At the June 2019 planning meeting, three members of the eight-member committee abstained rather than support the project, after ‘deep concerns’ were expressed about the sinkhole risk in an area of Ripon known for widespread gypsum deposits.
Masham councillor Nigel Simms voted against the application because he believed ground stability issues made it an untenable use of public money.
The city’s gypsum problem was highlighted in a major technical report commissioned by the Department of the Environment in 1996, titled ‘Assessment of Subsidence Arising from Gypsum Dissolution (with Particular Reference to Ripon, North Yorkshire)’
Work started on the Camp Close site, at Dallamires Lane, on 25 November 2019 and the 17-month project was scheduled for completion by 21 May 2021. It is now due to be completed in November 2021.
What’s caused the delay?
Councillor Stanley Lumley, the council’s cabinet member for culture, tourism and sport, said the project had been ‘slightly delayed’ by COVID-19.
Construction on the site was halted for five weeks during the first lockdown and did not stop during the second lockdown.
In May, Willmott Dixon operations director Nick Corrigan told the Stray Ferret that approximately 30 workers, including management, had been back on site since 30 April.
In Cllr Lumley’s 13 November press release, he said: ‘Ground work, known as grouting, is nearing completion.’
Grouting is a method used to stabilise unstable ground.
The Stray Ferret submitted a Freedom of Information request seeking details about the cost of ground works on the site.
The council said it holds the information but it was exempt from disclosure. It did, however confirm that there would be extra cost, saying:
“Additional ‘site preliminaries’ will be payable to the main contractor as a result of the extension of the construction contract.”
The council, added:
“A public authority may refuse to disclose information to the extent that its disclosure would adversely affect the confidentiality of commercial or industrial information where such confidentiality is provided by law to protect a legitimate economic interest.”
A sign saying that Ripon’s new swimming pool and refurbished leisure centre will be ‘opening in Summer 2021’ was still in place this week.
Regarding questions about the cost of ground remediation, the council said:
“In this instance, specific information regarding the amount of the contract committed to ground stabilisation could be a disincentive to provide pricing for public sector opportunities which could then lead to a lack of future competition which could increase prices and represent worse value for money within the sector.
“The council therefore considers maintaining the exception outweighs the public interest in disclosing it.”
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