Bradford Council has voted to abandon plans for a new leisure centre and swimming pool in one of the city’s most deprived areas. It is because the move is expected to result in the loss of a £20 million government grant.
The Reform-led Executive agreed on Tuesday to halt the proposed Squire Lane Leisure Centre scheme despite officers recommending that the project move forward.
The decision comes after the council had already spent £5.4 million developing the plans for the facility, which was due to be built on council-owned land in Toller, near Bradford Royal Infirmary.
The proposed development would have included a six-lane 25-metre swimming pool, a learner pool, gym facilities, fitness studios and a 120-space car park.
The total cost of the project was estimated at £32.9 million, with £20 million already secured through the Government’s Levelling Up Fund.
Council officers warned that abandoning the scheme would mean losing the grant and could damage Bradford’s reputation when bidding for future government funding.
A report presented to councillors highlighted the need for modern leisure facilities in the area, noting that the proposed site would serve communities facing some of the highest levels of deprivation in England.
Addressing the meeting, Director for Place David Shepherd said the council’s ageing leisure estate needed investment. He told members: “It is the right facility in the right place. Eighty-seven thousand people live within one mile of the site. It is an area with some of the highest levels of deprivation and some of the highest inactivity levels.”
Mr Shepherd also noted that most of Bradford’s swimming pools are more than 35 years old, with several dating back to the 1960s and 1970s.
He acknowledged that the new centre was not expected to make a profit but argued that public leisure facilities should be judged on health and community benefits rather than commercial returns.
Despite the recommendations, councillors said the financial risks were too great.
Cllr Andrew Judson, Bradford Council’s Portfolio Holder for Economy, Regeneration and Planning, said the Executive had considered the issue extensively before reaching a decision. “We’ve looked at this issue time and time again and we haven’t come to this decision lightly,” he said.
“The cost is £32.9 million and there is no guarantee that it won’t significantly rise. Bradford does not have a good reputation for keeping projects on budget.
“We are not going forward with this project.”
Following the vote, Council Leader Stephen Place thanked colleagues for showing restraint. “I can’t tell you how many hours we spent on this with officers,” he said.
“We understand the Government will take a dim view of this.”
Interim finance director Stephen Mair warned that if the grant funding is withdrawn, the council would likely need to cover the £5.4 million already spent from its own budgets.
The decision was criticised by Labour group leader Cllr Imran Khan, who described the scheme as a “no-brainer”. He said: “It is astonishing that the council’s Reform leadership have decided to hand back £20 million of government money and cancel a brand-new leisure centre and pool that would have increased children’s swimming lessons, improved people’s health and supported regeneration.”
He added that the move went against evidence showing the district urgently needed investment in swimming facilities, particularly in areas with high levels of deprivation.
