New-look swimming pools to be completed in first three months of 2010

Swimmers at public pools across England will enjoy brand-new and revamped facilities in 2010 – thanks to a new wave of investment from the Government’s £140m free swimming initiative that has so far seen young people and senior citizens take more than ten million free swims.

Already seven projects receiving almost £1.6m in capital funding from the scheme have been completed, with new facilities for local people in Corby, Doncaster, Leicestershire (two sites), Lincolnshire, Luton, and Stevenage.

But 2010 is set to be the year when scores of the country’s swimming pools are transformed, with 27 projects receiving more than £7.5m of funding from the Government set to be completed by the end of March – and seven million-pound projects among a further 25 due to come on stream during the rest of the year, or early in 2011.

Altogether £25m is being invested in a first round of construction projects where funding from the free swimming budget is being added to councils’ spending – for schemes as big as helping finance a new pool, as small as paying for new lockers or lighting.

Sport England is administering this capital fund, with a further £25m available in 2010/11, enabling local authorities to modernise existing pools and help build new facilities. Decisions on which will receive funding in 2010/11 will be made public in April.

"It's vital that sports facilities meet the highest standards, are welcoming, and cater for everyone if we're going to get more people using them every day," said Sport England's Chair Richard Lewis. "Swimming remains the most popular participation sport in England, so local pools have a major role to play in creating a more sporty nation."

Projects set to be completed in the first quarter of 2010, with contribution from the Free Swimming Capital Modernisation Fund are in:

• East of England: Refurbishment of fitness pool facilities at Colchester Leisure World (£286,705); improvements to Hudson Leisure Centre in Wisbech (£361,500); improvements to Hadleigh Swimming Pool in Babergh (£185,000).
• East Midlands: building new changing rooms for West Park Leisure Centre in Erewash (£455,471); new combined heat and power plant at Enderby Leisure Centre in Blaby (£200,000); modernised changing rooms and pool plant at Hermitage Leisure Centre in North-West Leicestershire (£619,223).
• London: refurbishment of changing facilities at the Abbey Sports Centre in Barking and Dagenham (£268,000); modernisation of changing rooms and reception at Hatch End Pool in Harrow (£574,884); modernisation of Brixton Recreation Centre in Lambeth (£350,000); refurbishing changing room facilities at the Vale Farm Sports Centre in Brent (£98,425).
• North-East: enhancement of reception, changing rooms and pool hall at Mill House Leisure Centre in Hartlepool (£426,179); extending changing rooms at the Splash leisure facility in Stockton-on-Tees (£82,000)
• North-West: modernisation of Horwich Leisure Centre (£177,280) and Farnworth Leisure Centre (£169,682) in Bolton; modernisation of changing rooms at Parr Swimming and Fitness Centre in St Helens (£570,000); modernisation of Broughton Pool in Salford (£460,600).
• South-East: modernisation of Woughton Leisure Centre (£98,000), Stantonbury Campus Pool (£235,262) and Middleton Pool (£180,000) in Milton Keynes; modernising the pool at Chalfont Leisure Centre in Chiltern, Buckinghamshire (£184,025); refurbishment of Farnham Sports Centre in Waverley (£383,712).
• West Midlands: installation of a moveable boom at Wyndley Pool in Birmingham (£75,075); refurbishing changing rooms and building a new reception area at the Haden Hill Leisure Centre in Sandwell (£384.919).
• Yorkshire and the Humber: improved pool plant at the Riddings Pool in North Lincolnshire (£157,175); providing new lighting at the Scott Hall, John Smeaton and Pudsey Leisure Centre pools (£70,000) and modernising changing rooms at Scott Hall (£340,000), all in Leeds; modernisation of changing facilities at the Hoyland Leisure Centre in Barnsley (£115,000).

In addition, projects in all nine English regions will be completed from April onwards – including million pound plus schemes at Ibstock in Leicestershire (£1.18m), Camberwell, London (£1.47m), Waveney in Suffolk (£1.13m), Much Wenlock in Shropshire (£1.02m), Harrow, London (£1.27m), Nottingham (£1m) and Calderdale (£1.04m).