North Yorkshire Council has revealed it has pumped almost 3,000 tonnes of grout into a void underneath Ripon leisure centre as part of ground stabilisation works that began last summer and have cost £3.4 million to date.

The Jack Laugher Leisure and Wellness Centre opened in March 2022 but whilst the pool is in use, plans for a gym at the previously built leisure centre on the same site were delayed after an underground void was discovered.

This prompted an investigation by engineering firm Stantec, which found evidence of multiple voids and “significantly weak” areas of ground beneath the older half of the leisure centre that was built in 1995.

It warned that not carrying out remedial repairs would be “unacceptable from a public safety perspective”.

Ripon is susceptible to voids and sinkholes because it lies on a layer of water-soluble rock called gypsum.

North Yorkshire Council began works to stabilise the ground last summer by pumping it with grout.

A council spokesperson said that as of this month, 2,810 tonnes of grout has been used during the works, costing £3.4m.

They were unable to say exactly when the work will finish, only that it would be this year.

It means a temporary gym costing £300,000 that was erected in the leisure centre’s car park last year will remain open, despite the council previously insisting it would be removed by March 2024.

Retired chartered engineer Stanley Mackintosh campaigned against the site being used for the leisure centre due to the gypsum issues.

Mr Mackintosh told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that the ground stabilisation works has become a literal example of a “sunk cost fallacy” for the council. He said he also has concerns about its environmental impact.

He said:

“The works are essentially ineffective and structurally dangerous, but I’m also concerned about the related release of thousands of tonnes of CO2 into our atmosphere during that process.”

The topic of the leisure centre was raised at a recent mayoral hustings event held by Zero Carbon Harrogate.

Independent candidate Keith Tordoff described the works as resulting from “gross incompetence” by leaders at the now defunct Harrogate Borough Council, which chose the site, and North Yorkshire Council.

He said:

“They knew about the sinkholes around Ripon and were advised about it. It’s a disaster and typical of the council. They are pumping our money into it.”

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Kerry Metcalfe, the council’s assistant director for property, said:

“The ground stabilisation work underway involves pumping grout into voids under the ground. These works are expected to be completed later this year and are necessary to make the leisure centre building safe so that it can be refurbished and re-opened for public use.

“The cost for this work so far is £3.4m. Refurbishment work to the leisure centre was paused when the need for ground remediation work was identified and will therefore be finished after completion of the ground stabilisation works.

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

An investigation into movements at the Jack Laugher Leisure and Wellness Centre in Ripon has discovered multiple cracks up to 10mm long.

A £3.5 million scheme to stabilise the site began in June following the discovery of a “void” in the sinkhole-prone area. It brought the cost of the leisure centre to £18 million — £8 million above budget.

The work, which was due to end in spring, was paused this month when land movements were detected.

North Yorkshire Council, which owns the site, said on Friday its checks had revealed cracks have appeared.

It said the cracks have affected the “weathertightness of the building and the operation of doors and windows” but added specialists had said there were no safety concerns.

Nevertheless, the estimated completion date and project costs are now “under review”.

Work at the site.

It means members will continue to use a temporary gym in the car park and attend group classes at Hugh Ripley Hall in the city centre indefinitely.

The new building, which includes the swimming pool, sauna and steam room, has remained open throughout.

Damage mainly ‘aesthetic’

The council said in a statement on Friday:

“Following the site inspection of the original section of Ripon sports centre on Friday, September 15 by a technical specialist it was observed that in general, the degree of damage that has occurred to the building since the original inspection last year as a result of the compaction grouting operations would be classified as aesthetic.

“The exception to this was the ground floor internal wall near to the main ground floor entrance at the north end of the building.

“Here there are multiple cracks up to 10mm wide which are classed as serviceability issues, affecting the weathertightness of the building and the operation of doors and windows.”

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The statement added:

“Specialists have confirmed that none of the cracking observed during the site visit would be cause for concern from a safety point of view.

“The building is currently weathertight and cracks will be assessed at the end of the project and appropriate repairs made.

“A system of level monitoring has been installed within the building so that it can be monitored for movement and grouting adjusted or stopped when certain movements are reached.”

Grouting work resumed at the site on October 13. Asked whether the latest issues had affected the completion date or cost of the project, the council said:

“The estimated completion date and project costs are currently under review.”

‘Far from ideal’ situation

Cllr Andrew Williams, a member of the Conservative and Independents group at North Yorkshire Council and the leader of Ripon City Council, said last year it was time to stop “throwing good money after bad” and to “look for a suitable location for a new leisure centre to be built on sound land”.

Asked about the discovery of cracks, he said:

“The building is under very close monitoring to ensure that there is no movement as the works progress, if there is movement then the position will have to be reviewed in the light of that information.

“The situation is far from ideal and I hope that it will prove possible to complete these works because the bottom line is that Ripon needs a functioning leisure centre.”

The older half of Ripon Leisure Centre would have to permanently close unless newly-approved groundworks costing £3.5 million are carried out, a council official has said.

Trevor Watson, director of economy, environment and housing at Harrogate Borough Council, made the statement at a cabinet meeting last night when councillors agreed to the remedial works on underground voids found at the site.

Mr Watson also stressed that the leisure centre’s new swimming pool – which opened in March – is unaffected by what is planned and will remain open throughout. He said:

“We really do need to seek to address the ground conditions.

“If we chose not to do the work, then the reality is we wouldn’t be reopening the leisure centre.”

Mr Watson added the underground voids are believed to have been present for several years and were not caused by building works for the new pool.

The discovery during the pool construction in 2020 prompted an investigation by an engineering firm which this month revealed the extent of the ground stability issues at the site.

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Stantec found “significantly weak” areas of ground beneath the older half of the leisure centre built in 1995 and also warned that not carrying out groundworks would be “unacceptable from a public safety perspective”.

The works due to start in December mean more costs and delays for the venue’s new pool and refurbishment project which is believed to have cost in excess of £18 million so far.

The original contract awarded to construction company Willmott Dixon was worth £10.2 million for the scheme originally due for completion in May 2021.

The project was approved in 2019 despite some councillors raising “deep concerns” over ground issues at the site where a sinkhole opened up the previous year.

Cllr Swift speaking at last night’s meeting.

Speaking at Wednesday’s meeting, councillor Graham Swift, deputy leader of the council, said it was “good fortune” that the underground voids were discovered before a more serious collapse could have occurred.

He said:

“As a result of the fact that technologies have improved over the last 25 years, we have learnt a lot more about what is under the leisure facility.

“This is actually good fortune as it is good to know now. If we hadn’t had the swimming pool, we wouldn’t have discovered this until a genuine incident.”

Cllr Swift also said it was “very exciting” that a temporary gym is planned for the leisure centre car park during the groundworks which will close parts of the venue for at least 10 months from November.

The temporary gym will cost an additional £300,000, while the pool will remain open.

The leisure centre is reported to now have more than 14,000 members since the pool opened, generating around £34,000 a month which the council said will help offset some of the groundwork costs.

After these works are carried out, the refurbishment is scheduled for completion in spring 2024.

A report has revealed the extent of ground stability issues at Ripon Leisure Centre, which are set to cost £3.5 million to repair.

The findings from engineering firm Stantec spell out more bad news for the venue’s new swimming pool and refurbishment project, which is already over budget and more than a year overdue.

The new pool opened this year, but plans for a larger gym and exercise studios have been delayed after an underground void was discovered at the site.

This prompted an investigation by Stantec which has now revealed evidence of multiple voids and “significantly weak” areas of ground beneath the older half of the leisure centre, which was built in 1995.

It has warned that not carrying out remedial repairs would be “unacceptable from a public safety perspective”. The report said:

“These investigations have revealed that disturbed and brecciated bedrock is not isolated to the north western corner of the building.

“It is envisaged that structural strengthening would likely require remedial works on not only the ground floor of the building, but also in areas of the already renovated top floor of the building.”

The existing leisure centre adjoins the new pool

Ripon is susceptible to sinkholes because it lies on a layer of water-soluble rock called gypsum.

In 2018, a sinkhole opened up outside the leisure centre before Harrogate Borough Council approved the new pool plans a year later despite some councillors raising “deep concerns” over ground stability issues.

The council has continually insisted that professional advice has made it clear that the site is “safe to use”.

However, the repairs required are now proving costly and causing long delays for the refurbishment project.

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Stantec’s report said foundations were not driven deep enough into the ground when the leisure centre was built 27 years ago and that it remains unclear why this happened as “many critical records” are missing.

It added that if the foundations were to fail because of this, it was unlikely to be “catastrophic”.

The voids are believed to be part of a “network” of underground holes beneath the leisure centre – some of which were “successfully” repaired during the construction of the new swimming pool.

Grouting – where material is pumped into the ground – is likely to be used again during the repairs, although Stantec added more assessments and monitoring will be required on top of this.

The report said:

“A further programme of structural assessment of the existing building is recommended to understand how the building might be best retrofitted to accommodate the risks of ground collapse.

“Strengthening alone is unlikely to mitigate risks to acceptable levels and would likely need to be adopted in combination with other strategies and require long-term monitoring as the building continues in usage.”

If approved by senior councillors next week, the remedial works would start in December with refurbishment set for completion in spring 2024.

The works would mean the leisure centre would have to partially close for at least 10 months from November.

A temporary gym in the venue’s car park has been proposed and will cost an additional £300,000, while the new pool would remain open throughout.

An almost 300-page report on the discovery of an underground void at Ripon Leisure Centre has been described as “sobering reading”.

In the report published by Stantec, the engineering firm details how the void was found during works on the centre’s new multi-million pound swimming pool and why further investigations and groundworks are now required.

It said initial studies suggest there has been a “significant deterioration” of the ground beneath the older half of the centre which was built in 1995 and like much of Ripon sits on gypsum deposits.

The report begins by looking at construction records which reveal several ground piles had failed during the build almost three decades ago.

Stantec said the piles were not driven deep enough into the ground and that it remains unclear why this happened as “many critical records” are missing.

Replacement piles were added during the build, the report said, but it is believed these were driven into partially-filled holes.

Fast-forward more than 20 years after construction was completed and a sinkhole opened up outside the centre in 2018.

A year later, the refurbishment plans and new pool were approved by Harrogate Borough Council despite some councillors raising “deep concerns” over ground stability.

These works began shortly after and Stantec’s report said it was in September 2020 when the void was found by construction crews.

This was investigated and all areas beneath the older building will now be examined in the New Year.

The report said the void is having a “limited impact” on the building but “will continue to degrade over time” without action.

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Stantec gives three options to solve ground stability issues across this half of the site: do nothing, demolition or ground strengthening.

It said the do nothing approach is “unacceptable from a public safety perspective”, while demolition was not considered to be “cost-effective” by the council.

It added strengthening could include steelworks, thickened floors and grouting where mortar is pumped into the ground – the same method “successfully” used to stabilise the new swimming pool building.

Long-term monitoring

However, it said strengthening alone is “unlikely to mitigate risks to acceptable levels” and that other measures would be required including long-term monitoring.

The report added any ground collapse before or after these works was not likely to be “catastrophic” but would be gradual and seen through cracks in the building.

At Wednesday’s meeting, council leader Richard Cooper said the findings made for “sobering reading” before he and other cabinet members approved the next stage of investigations.

Other council officials stressed the centre is “safe to use” and that the new pool, due to open on 8 December, will not be affected.

Councillor Stanley Lumley, cabinet member for culture, tourism and sport, said:

“It is very important to distinguish that there are two separate issues and projects here.

“Only during the construction of the new pool was it identified that there was a potential problem with the existing building.

“We have got professional engineers, designers and consultants on the site, and we have to take advice from them.”

During the strengthening works, the older half of the centre is likely to close for around six months when the council said it would look to provide gym facilities at a different venue in Ripon.

The closures will mean the centre – which was due to be refurbished and open its new pool earlier this year – will not fully reopen until mid-2022.

Harrogate Borough Council officials have said the new Ripon swimming pool will be safe to open despite news this week that further ground investigations are necessary.

The six-lane pool on Dallamires Lane is due to open on December 8. The adjoining leisure centre is due to partially open on the same date.

The council issued a statement this week saying it planned to carry out “ground remedial works and a thorough investigation programme” of the leisure centre site, which could result in further remedial work and a six-month closure.

It follows the discovery of a void near the leisure centre last year, which prompted an investigation at an estimated cost of £110,000.

The Stray Ferret asked the authority whether it remained confident the pool was safe to open next month despite the need for further work, which will include commissioning a 3D map of underground soil conditions

A spokesperson said the sites were “two separate foundations” and that the swimming pool was safe to use.

Safety concerns

As reported by the Stray Ferret, Ripon-based chartered engineer Stanley Mackintosh has consistently raised concerns with the council about the suitability of building a swimming pool on land with a history of ground instability issues.

Mr Mackintosh told the Stray Ferret that public safety at the site had “to be the overriding consideration” and that he would be writing to senior Harrogate councillors ahead of their decision on further investigative works on Wednesday.

Dr Alan Thompson, a geologist and director of director of Cuesta Consulting in Somerset, has also previously raised safety concerns following an investigation by consultancy firm Stantec into the “cavity” that appeared at the site in September last year.

News of the latest investigation raises questions over whether the ground instability problems can be permanently solved and how much it will cost taxpayers to fund any further remedial works that may be required.

The city’s leisure centre will only be partially open when the new swimming pool comes on stream in five weeks time.

The ground floor is to remain closed, while the first floor gym will open.

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Council officials said in a report that the leisure centre could continue to operate half open while investigations at the site are carried out, possibly in the New Year.

It said:

“In August 2021, an officer decision was made, following advice from the consulting engineers that Ripon Leisure Centre could continue to operate on the reconfigured and refurbished first floor.

“The consulting engineers informed officers that they did not believe that there had been a geological change to the risk profile of the building since the initial void at the right hand side by the entrance was discovered in 2020.”

However, the site will close for six months if further further work is required. The report added that the investigation would not affect the swimming pool.

Void discovered

When asked why the first floor of the leisure site was to remain open instead of closing the entire building during the investigations, a council spokesperson said “the consulting engineers have advised the existing leisure centre can remain open”.

The void is understood to have been beneath the older half of the centre for several years and was discovered near where a sinkhole opened up in 2018. Ripon is notorious for sinkholes.

The initial investigations covered around 15% of the building’s footprint and if approved by senior councillors next week, the remainder will be surveyed.

It is likely this will lead to the need for ground strengthening works, similar to what was done to stabilise the ground beneath the new swimming pool.

During this time, the council said it would look to provide gym facilities at a different venue in the city which is one of the UK’s most sinkhole-prone areas.

Harrogate Borough Council is to commission a 3D map of underground soil conditions at the new multi-million pound Ripon Leisure Centre, amid ongoing safety concerns.

The council said in a statement last night the imaging would be part of “ground remedial works and a thorough investigation programme” following the discovery of a void.

The city has a history of sinkholes caused by the soluble of nature gypsum, the rock that lies under much of the area.

The statement said a survey of the whole site and the 3D map would “ensure leisure facilities can continue to be safely provided in Ripon”.

Senior councillors will be asked to approve the remedial works and investigation at a cabinet meeting next week,

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As reported by the Stray Ferret, Ripon-based chartered engineer Stanley Mackintosh has consistently raised concerns with the council about the suitability of building a swimming pool on land with a history of ground instability issues. But he feels his comments, made at a June 2019 planning meeting where the new leisure centre was approved, were largely dismissed.

The council now plans to open a new six-lane pool on the site on December 8 — but the adjoining leisure centre will only partially open on that date because of concerns about the void.

Council officials confirmed last week that the leisure centre’s ground floor will remain closed.

‘Disappointment for some’

Trevor Watson, Harrogate Borough Council’s director of economy, environment and housing, said yesterday:

“Understandably, the delayed opening of some of the new facilities in the leisure centre will be a disappointment for some, but by carrying out this investigation now it will allow us to provide fit-for-purpose leisure facilities for the people of Ripon for years to come.”

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

In May, the council approved an investigation into the “void in the ground” at an estimated cost of £110,000. Now further measures are planned.

The project, which includes a pool, fully-refurbished leisure centre and outside play areas was initially scheduled for completion in May, but ground stabilisation work known as grouting, contributed to a six-month hold up.