It is now nine months since ground stabilisation work costing £3.5 million began at Ripon Leisure Centre, but North Yorkshire Council (NYC) remains unable to give an opening date for the refurbished building.

The original £10.2 million contract awarded in November 2019 by the now-defunct Harrogate Borough Council to construction company Willmott Dixon, was designed to give Ripon a new six-lane swimming pool attached to a fully revamped and equipped leisure centre building which opened in 1995.

Work began at the Camp Close site off Dallamires Lane in November 2019 and was scheduled to last 17 months.

Equipment used in ground stabilisation pictured at the site yesterday morning (Wednesday)

The total project also includes the provision of a new children’s playground and landscaping and restoration of playing fields that were donated in 1948 by Alderman Cyril Tetley Wade ‘for the benefit of the young people of the city.’

Rising costs

The running total for completion of the project has risen to £18 million and to date the pool at the Jack Laugher Leisure & Wellness Centre, which opened behind schedule in March 2022 and the playground that opened in February 2022, have been delivered.

A temporary gym has been in place on the car park in front of the Jack Laugher Leisure & Wellness Centre since last April. The children’s playground opened in February 2022

A year ago, a temporary gym costing £300,000 was installed on the centre car park and during the period that ground stabilisation works have remained ongoing, gym members have been attending spin classes at Hugh Ripley Hall.

During the four years since it was launched, the Stray Ferret has kept a close watch on the leisure scheme and has sought regular updates, initially from Harrogate Borough Council and from North Yorkshire Council since April 2023, when the unitary authority took over responsibility for the problematic project.

The questions we asked

On March 11 we asked the council the following six questions:

• What is holding up the work?
• Have additional issues arisen since NYC’s last update to the Stray Ferret in January
• Have additional costs been incurred (on top of the £3.5 million allocated for ground stabilisation?
• If yes, how much?
• Is there an opening date in prospect for the fully refurbished leisure centre building
• What progress has been made on the restoration of the children’s playing fields?

A reply received from a council spokesperson three days later said:

“We have nothing further to add to the last statement.”

In that statement, issued by the council on January 16, it said:

“The nature of the work is complex and is under constant review, dates will be announced to key partners when they are confirmed.

“Refurbishment work to the leisure centre began at the same time as the construction of the new swimming pool building, however it was paused when the extent of ground remediation work was identified. Refurbishment work will therefore be finished after completion of the ground stabilisation works.”

In October, the Stray Ferret reported that the leisure centre work had been temporarily paused after ground movement was detected in the 1995 building,

The North Yorkshire spokesperson said in the January statement that since October “no further issues have come to light”.

Working ‘within the confines of the existing budget’

On the question about potential additional costs for the delayed project, the NYC spokesperson stated:

“We continue to work within the confines of the existing budget.”

The Stray Ferret also asked about restoration of the children’s playing fields and football pitch, which have been no go areas for more than four years.

We were told:

“Seeding work will be carried out in advance of the opening date, but this will need to be given time to fully germinate and establish.”

Main image: As work continues on ground stabilisation, no opening date for the refurbished facility is available for North Yorkshire Council

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Remediation works costing £3.5 million are underway at the Ripon leisure centre building which closed in late April.

North Yorkshire Council’s assistant director for culture, leisure, archives and libraries, Jo Ireland, said:

“We can confirm the ground stabilisation works at the former Ripon Leisure Centre have now started.”

Hoardings and fencing have been put in place around the 28 year old leisure centre building.

He added:

“These works came about following the discovery of a void underneath part of the original leisure centre.

“The void is understood to have been present for a number of years and was discovered when the reinforced concrete slab, which provides the foundation for the new swimming pool, was cast.

“By addressing these historic issues, it allows us the opportunity to ensure future generations will be able to access modern sport and leisure facilities in their city for many years to come.

“Once the works have been completed the original leisure centre facility can be refurbished as planned – which includes an extended gym, two new activity studios, a spin studio as well as meeting facilities – and complement the 25 metre, six-lane swimming pool that opened last year.”

Work is scheduled to go on until spring 2024 and in the meantime a temporary gym will remain in use on the car park near the entrance to the  Jack Laugher Leisure and Wellness Centre.

The £300,000 facility, operated by Brimhams Active on behalf of North Yorkshire Council, includes Technogym equipment.

Customers are able to use the changing and shower facilities at the swimming pool as well as the sauna and steam suite. Group exercise classes continue to be provided at Hugh Ripley Hall.

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The building that will house the £300,000 temporary gym at the Jack Laugher Leisure and Wellness Centre has been located in the car park near the entrance to the swimming pool.

The prefabricated structure was put into position yesterday morning using a long-reach mobile crane and while the opening date has yet to be confirmed, a spokesperson for North Yorkshire Council told the Stray Ferret:

“I believe it will be towards the end of the month (April) that customers will start to use the alternative gym.”

The temporary building

Once up and running, the temporary facility will enable the closure of the existing gym on the upper floor of the 28-year-old leisure centre next to the new swimming pool that opened last March.

This will pave the way for ground stabilisation works costing £3.5million to be carried out under the building.

The temporary gym, operated by Brimhams Active on behalf of the newly-formed North Yorkshire Council unitary authority, will be fitted out with Technogym equipment currently available in the existing leisure and wellness centre, and expert advice and guidance will be available.

Customers will still be able to use the changing and shower facilities in the new pool area – as well as the sauna and steam suite – as they will remain open as normal.

Group exercise classes will also continue to be provided at Hugh Ripley Hall.

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Last weekend’s planned installation of the £300,000 temporary gym in the car park at the Jack Laugher Leisure and Wellness Centre in Ripon did not go ahead.

As reported in the Stray Ferret, the installation was scheduled to take place between March 25 and 26, with the leisure centre and adjacent children’s playground shut during the operation.

However, a spokesperson for Harrogate Borough Council said this morning:

“Unfortunately, due to the predicted high winds, the installation was postponed until this weekend.”

The spokesperson added the leisure centre and playground is now due to close at 6pm on Saturday (April 1) until Monday morning (April 3) to ensure the gym can be put in place.

Its Installation will enable the closure of the existing gym on the upper floor of the 28-year-old leisure centre next to the new swimming pool that opened last March, paving the way for ground stabilisation works costing £3.5million to be carried out under the building.

A week ago the council, which runs the site through its leisure company Brimhams Active, said the temporary facility would open next month:

In its statement, the council added:

“The gym will include the high-quality, state-of-the-art Technogym equipment currently available in the existing leisure and wellness centre, as well as expert advice and guidance from the Brimhams Active team.

“Customers will still be able to use the changing and shower facilities in the new pool area – as well as the sauna and steam suite – as they will remain open as normal.

“Group exercise classes will also continue to be provided at Hugh Ripley Hall.”

A £300,000 temporary gym in the car park at the Jack Laugher Leisure and Wellness Centre site in Ripon will be opening next month.

Its installation will enable the closure of the existing gym on the upper floor of the 28-year-old leisure centre next to the new swimming pool that opened last March, paving the way for ground stabilisation works costing £3.5million to be carried out under the building.

To ensure the temporary gym can be installed safely, the leisure and wellness centre and playground will be closed from 6pm Saturday (March 25) until Monday morning (March 27) .

The announcement has come from Harrogate Borough Council 10 days before it is abolished and becomes part of the new North Yorkshire unitary authority.

Last July, the council announced that the temporary gym would open ‘in the autumn’ (of 2022) but this date was subsequently put back.

This morning the council, which runs the site through its leisure company Brimhams Active, said:

“A temporary gym at the Jack Laugher Leisure and Wellness Centre in Ripon is set to open next month (April) to ensure residents can keep fit and active.

“The gym will include the high-quality, state-of-the-art Technogym equipment currently available in the existing leisure and wellness centre, as well as expert advice and guidance from the Brimhams Active team.

“Customers will still be able to use the changing and shower facilities in the new pool area – as well as the sauna and steam suite – as they will remain open as normal.

“Group exercise classes will also continue to be provided at Hugh Ripley Hall.”

The council statement added:

“The temporary gym, which has started to be installed, is being used to provide customers with an alternative offer while the ground stabilisation works take place.

“These works come following the discovery of a void underneath part of the original leisure centre. The void is understood to have been present for a number of years and was only discovered when the reinforced concrete slab, which provides the foundation for the new swimming pool, was cast.

“On discovery of this void, the borough council appointed a contractor to carry out a thorough investigation programme under the original leisure centre to determine what work may be required to ensure the facility can continue to be used for many years to come.”

Councillor Stanley Lumley, Harrogate Borough Council’s cabinet member for culture, tourism and sport, and chair of the board of directors at Brimhams Active, said:

“We remain committed to enabling people to enjoy physical activity. By providing a temporary gym, while the ground stabilisation works take place, we can minimise the disruption to current and potential customers and ensure they can continue to maintain their health and well-being goals.”

“The fantastic new swimming pool will also remain open as usual and continues to provide an excellent health and wellness experience.”

Six months after Harrogate Borough Council announced plans to open a temporary gym at Jack Laugher Leisure and Wellness Centre in Ripon, there is no confirmed date for its installation.

In a statement to the Stray Ferret, a council spokesperson said:

“To ensure residents can keep fit and active, while we carry out ground stabilisation works, a temporary gym is due to be installed at the Jack Laugher Leisure and Wellness Centre in Ripon.

“We are awaiting the final programme for the ground stabilisation works before announcing further news on when the temporary gym will open.

“Until this time, customers can continue to (use) the existing gym at the leisure and wellness centre.

“We hope to have further news in the coming weeks.”

On July 28 last year, the council said it had submitted a planning application to install the temporary structure on the car park next to the centre’s main entrance and added that it would open in the autumn at a date to be confirmed.

In December a spokesperson told the Stray Ferret:

“I’m led to believe the temporary gym will not require planning permission now and we’ll be looking at installing the temporary gym in the new year (date TBC).

“Ahead of opening, we’ll be making all customers/members aware.”

Since the December statement, the Stray Ferret has contacted the council in a bid to find out when the gym will be installed and ready for use.

In the meantime, the existing gym on site located on the upper floor of the 1995 leisure centre building —  where remedial ground stabilisation works are due to take place at a cost of £3.5 million — remains open.

The opening of the proposed £300,000 temporary gym at Jack Laugher Leisure and Wellness Centre in Ripon has been delayed until the New Year.

On July 28, Harrogate Borough Council (HBC) said it had submitted a planning application to install the temporary structure on the car park next to the centre’s main entrance and added that it would open in the autumn at a date to be confirmed.

Today, an HBC spokesperson told the Stray Ferret:

“I’m led to believe the temporary gym will not require planning permission now and we’ll be looking at installing the temporary gym in the new year (date TBC).

“Ahead of opening, we’ll be making all customers/members aware.”

In the meantime, the gym located on the upper floor of the existing 1995 leisure centre where remedial ground stabilisation works are due to take place at a cost of £3.5 million will remain open.

At the time of HBC’s announcement in July, Cllr Stanley Lumley, the council’s cabinet member for culture, tourism and sport, and chair of the board of directors at Brimhams Active which runs the centre, said:

“We remain committed to enabling people to enjoy physical activity.

“By providing a temporary gym, while the ground stabilisation works take place, we can minimise the disruption to current and potential customers and ensure they can continue to maintain their health and wellbeing goals.”

The need for ground stabilisation works follows the discovery of a void under part of the existing leisure centre understood to have been present for a number of years.

It was discovered when the reinforced concrete slab for the new swimming pool was cast.

The temporary gym will include equipment currently available in the existing leisure and wellness centre and expert advice and guidance will be provided by members of the Brimhams Active team.

Customers will be able to use the changing and shower facilities in the new pool area – as well as the sauna and steam suite – which opened in March and group exercise classes will also continue to be provided at Hugh Ripley Hall.