Bradford Council has announced the long-awaited demolition of the former Richard Dunn Leisure Centre on Rooley Lane will now go ahead after it was put on hold to allow the site to be used for operations during the pandemic.
The site was being used for a variety of uses including as a drive-through Covid-19 testing centre and an “electrostatic biocide spraying station” for vehicles to be sanitised to prevent the spread of the virus.
Now that operations to fight the pandemic being run from the site are being scaled back, the 1970s concrete building, said to be one of the least energy-efficient buildings in the whole of Yorkshire, costing a significant amount to heat and maintain is finally coming down.
Demolition of the building will commence in late October and is scheduled to be completed by April/May 2022.
The Richard Dunn Centre closed in November 2019 following the opening of the new state of the art Sedbergh Leisure Centre.
A Bradford Council spokesperson said: “Following the opening of Sedbergh, the Richard Dunn building was due to be demolished, but this was put on hold to allow the building and site to be used for a variety of purposes in the fight against the pandemic. Now that the risk of the virus is receding the building will be demolished.
“The Council is considering potential future uses for this strategic site for the district. Further communications on this will follow in due course.”
