PLANS are being developed for a new Aquadrome to meet the needs of residents in the borough.

Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council are currently working on proposals which could see a new leisure centre built and replace the current Aquadrome.

The authority has sought advice from external consultants to develop a strategy for the future of the popular leisure offering.

The overall aim for the new Aquadrome is to ensure the services delivered by the council’s leisure facilities contribute to council priorities, meet customer needs and are managed in the most effective and affordable way

At present, the business case focuses on a new-build facility on an alternative undeveloped location within the Leisure Park, which would allow the current Aquadrome to continue to operate until the new centre is open.

The council had also considered redeveloping the existing building, but it was deemed that there were a number of problems with this option, including implications for the Serco contract trying to run a contract in a building site, challenges of fitting in the proposed facilities within the building and problems surrounding sustainability.

Although the council has made it clear that no firm decisions have yet to be made. 

On Wednesday, October 19, members of the council’s community environment and partnership committee were presented with an update on the current proposal.

Cabinet member for resident services Rebecca Bean said: “I would like to take this opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to delivering a leisure centre that people want to use for many years to come. We have had great success with the Aquadrome, and I think at the point of opening had 1.1million visitors per year.

“I think it is important as we move forward with a new facility that we take forward any learnings we had from the existing facility and contract arrangement.”

Current proposals include an eight-lane 25-metre competition pool; a four-lane teaching pool with an option that includes a replacement of the leisure waters with water slides; as well as a 150-station gymnasium.

Proposals would also see a series of rooms for exercise and possibly a thermal spa with hot and cold treatments, a soft play and a new café.

Development manager James Mercer said that work is currently being done to look into the benefits of a new facility including that it could provide greater energy efficiency and have the potential to provide a more prominent location.

He said: “The proposal was taken to a cabinet briefing and the consideration is that we should be looking at a new build option within a new location and we are currently developing a business case that looks at that option.”

Cllr Alex Lee, who represents Winklebury and Manydown, shared concerns that the proposals are not too different to what is at the existing leisure centre.

He added: “We know demand is high but the only addition we are adding to this is some spas, a coffee shop, and the water provision is exactly the same as we have got there now. It is not an improvement.

“The gym itself is only 30 stations more than what is currently there so there is not much extra in terms of facilities.”

Ward councillor for Basing and Upton Great Kate Tuck shared concerns that the extra pool lanes might not be enough for the rising population in Basingstoke.

Cllr Richard Court for Kempshott and Buckskin added: “It is quite common these days to take the rubble and reuse it in a new building and here, of course, you would be constructing a new Aquadrome in parrel with the other one, so what will happen to the material.”

Project director Kate Dean said no decisions have been made yet regarding the materials.

Work is now progressing on a detail business case which is expected to be reviewed by the council’s cabinet in 2023.