Two sinkhole experts have urged councillors to consider finding an alternative site for the new Ripon leisure centre and pool — a month before it is due to open.
Their comments come after a newly released report by engineering company Stantec revealed the Dallamires Lane site could be permanently plagued by the threat of sinkholes.
Harrogate Borough Council commissioned the report after a void was discovered last year.
Michael Constantine, the council’s head of operations, has recommended councillors approve remedial work at a cabinet meeting tonight. But the experts have urged them to postpone a decision and take a longer-term view of the issues raised in the report.
Stanley Mackintosh, a chartered engineer in Ripon, said in a letter to the council that there was a “substantial risk of sudden catastrophic collapse” of land on the site due to the weak “pie-crust” nature of the land.
He told the Stray Ferret:
“The long term safety implications and unfathomable future costs seem to be very seriously underestimated by the council.”
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The Stantec report reveals there has been substantial and ongoing ground instability beneath the leisure centre building over three decades. It suggests the only way to avoid ongoing problems and costs is to find another site because the bedrock beneath the void is significantly disturbed and collapsed.
Mr Mackintosh, who has consistently raised concerns with the council about building a pool on land with a history of ground instability issues, said the report to councillors tonight contained “inaccuracies and omissions”.
He told the Stray Ferret:
“I am concerned that the new connecting walkway bridge may be a structural weak link, potentially unsafe for routine use by public and staff.
“As a chartered engineer, it remains my opinion that continuing to use the first floor of the existing leisure centre – and the said ‘weak link’ aerial walkway access to it– is an inadvisable and unnecessary risk to public safety.
“We should each, perhaps, honestly ask ourselves: “What kind of catastrophe at this Ripon Camp Close development, in part consequential to our own choices or inaction, could ever be justified?”
‘Gradual collapse’
Dr Alan Thompson, a geologist and director of director of Cuesta Consulting in Somerset, said he believed “gradual collapse” was a likelier scenario than sudden collapse.
But he agreed the council should give greater consideration to relocating to another site — an option councillors are recommended to reject tonight. Dr Thompson said:
“Given the huge and ever-increasing costs of the proposed works at Camp Close, the relative cost-benefits of relocation need to be seriously investigated as an alternative option, and not just dismissed out of hand, as the councillors are being asked to do.
“I do suspect that there will be ongoing ground instability at the Camp Close site and that, even with the proposed mitigation works, this risk will never be entirely eliminated. This is why the alternative option is so important.”
Stantec’s 277-page report says there is a “residual risk” of “catastrophic ground collapse” at the site, where a six-lane pool is due to open on December 8.
The top floor of the adjoining leisure centre is also due to open but the ground floor will remain shut while the remedial work is carried out.
Construction firm Willmott Dixon was awarded a £10.2 million contract in 2019 to build the pool and refurbish the leisure centre. It is not known how much the costs have risen to.
Mr Constantine’s report to councillors tonight says:
“The consulting engineer has stated that in their professional opinion a do nothing approach is unacceptable from a public safety perspective.
“By undertaking the works, which may also include installing post works monitoring equipment, the council will ensure that it has put in to place adequate mitigation to address the risks highlighted within the Stantec report.
“It is noted that the consulting engineer has highlighted that pile or pile group failure itself is unlikely to be catastrophic and would most likely be observed as a gradual settlement, structural cracking, and distortion of the structure.”
A Ripon councillor who voted in favour of the city’s new swimming pool and leisure centre refurbishment, is now supporting calls for an independent investigation into the scheme.
Sid Hawke was one of eight councillors on Harrogate Borough Council’s planning committee that approved an application two years ago for a new six-lane pool to be built alongside the existing leisure centre, which would be refurbished.
But following fresh concerns about sinkholes, Cllr Hawke, an independent who represents Ripon Ure Bank on Harrogate Borough Council, told the Stray Ferret:
“If I knew then, what I know now, I would have definitely voted against it.
“I’ve wanted a new swimming pool for Ripon for years, but the public interest must come first.
“I fully support an independent investigation looking into safety issues, so we can get them all sorted out.”
Also on the planning committee, which met on June 25, 2019, was Pat Marsh, the Liberal Democrat leader on Harrogate Borough Council, who was one of three councillors to abstain. Conservative councillor Nigel Simms voted against, because of misgivings about the suitability of the site two years ago.
Last week Cllr Marsh called for an independent investigation into the multi-million pound development at Camp Close, off Dallamires Lane.
Her comments followed safety concerns raised in a report by the multi-national consultancy Stantec, which were amplified by Dr Alan Thompson, a leading authority on the gypsum and sinkhole issues affecting all types of development in the Ripon area.
Cllr Pat Marsh
Cllr Marsh’s call came in the wake of the Stray Ferret’s exclusive story about safety concerns that came to light after Stantec’s inspection of a cavity discovered close to the leisure centre entrance in September.
The cavity, in the area where the new pool is due to be attached to the existing leisure centre, is in close proximity to a sinkhole that opened up on the centre car park.
That sinkhole arose 16 months before the planning meeting where the new pool was voted through.
Cllr Marsh, said:
“I’m pleased that Cllr Hawke supports my call for an investigation and I hope that other Ripon councillors will follow suite.
“The people of Ripon deserve a new pool — but there have been long-term ground stability issues in this area, as I know from the time when the leisure centre was being built.
“With this in mind, I couldn’t vote for further development at Camp Close as I thought that other site options should have been considered.
“We will see what the investigation commissioned by Harrogate Borough Council says about the cavity and then press for an independent safety investigation.”
A spokesperson for Harrogate Borough Council said last week:
“The multi-million pound investment project at Ripon Leisure Centre shows our commitment to providing modern, fit-for-purpose leisure facilities for the people of Ripon.
“Given the well-known ground conditions in Ripon, we employed qualified and experienced geologists and geo-technic engineers to carry out necessary investigation works and advise on what would be required to provide this much needed facility.
“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.
“The void which is underneath the existing leisure centre is understood to have been present a number of years. This was only discovered as a result of the work to prepare the new swimming pool site.
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“It is now being investigated and should any remedial work be required then it will be carried out.
“We are committed to providing this much-needed facility that will encourage a healthier and more active lifestyle for our residents and something they can be proud of.”
Lib Dem leader calls for Ripon Leisure Centre safety investigation
The leader of the Liberal Democrats on Harrogate Borough Council has called for an independent investigation into the building of Ripon’s new swimming pool and existing leisure centre after a leading authority on ground stability in Ripon raised serious safety concerns.
Earlier this week the Stray Ferret revealed that geologist Dr Alan Thompson, an expert on the city’s long-standing gypsum and sink hole problems, had sent a strongly worded letter to councillors to highlight his concerns.
His letter referred to an inspection carried out by global consultancy firm Stantec into a “cavity” that appeared near the entrance to the existing leisure centre building in September 2020.
Dr Thompson wrote that he had to intervene as he feared Harrogate Borough Council was not taking ground stability issues raised within the inspection seriously enough.
Read our exclusive report about Dr Thompson’s concerns and the Stantec report.
Cllr Pat Marsh, who is the leader of the Liberal Democrats on Harrogate Borough Council, told the Stray Ferret:
“I am not a geologist or engineer but when I read that report I did see that there were some concerns about the leisure centre. I hope they are being addressed.
“That site has always been a concern. It was not easy reading. We need to do a thorough investigation because we are putting lives at risk if we don’t.
“I am now beginning to think fresh eyes would be good to make sure it is safe. We can’t just push this to one side, it is a serious issue.”
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Cllr Pauline McHardy, of Ripon Independents whose ward the leisure centre falls under, said she was “very concerned” by the report.
She said:
“I think its is very concerning, they [the council] are spending an awful lot of money on it.
“What also concerns me is that who is going to responsible for it if we go to a unitary authority?”
Cllr Stan Lumley, who is the conservative cabinet member for culture, tourism and sport, told the Stray Ferret what he made of the report:
“It’s a tricky one really. Obviously we are absolutely committed to building the new pool and renovating the existing leisure centre.
“There is a history of ground conditions we were completely aware of. We had taken professional advice to mitigate as far as possible any problems on the site.
“We have invested a great deal of money to get the area safe and prepared for construction. We are now investigating and will address any issues that come up.”
On Tuesday Harrogate Borough Council responded Stray Ferret questions about Dr Thompson’s concerns by issuing a statement:
“Given the well-known ground conditions in Ripon, we employed qualified and experienced geologists and geo-technic engineers to carry out necessary investigation works and advice on what would be required to provide this much need facility.
“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.
“The void which is underneath the existing leisure centre is understood to have been present a number of years. This was only discovered as a result of the work to prepare the new swimming pool site.
“It is now being investigated and should any remedial work be required then it will be carried out.