Councillors have supported plans for “significant investment” in Huntingdon’s leisure facilities, including building new pools, padel courts, and an artificial pitch.

Councillors have backed plans to build new swimming pools and fitness facilities at the leisure centre in Huntingdon. Proposals to ‘significantly invest’ in the facilities were described as being of “great benefit” to Huntingdonshire.

Huntingdonshire District Council submitted plans to extend and refurbish One Leisure Huntingdon, including building a new 25-metre eight-lane swimming pool, with a spectator seating area and a 13-metre learner pool.

New fitness suites are also planned, with a tennis court set to be replaced with a padel court, and a new full size artificial football pitch to be built.

Planning documents said the age and range of existing pool facilities meant the leisure centre is “not fulfilling its potential”. The plans added that refurbishing the existing pools to bring them up to the necessary standards is not considered commercially viable.

The new pools and fitness facilities are proposed to be built through a new two-storey extension to the ‘dry’ side leisure centre. The existing ‘wet’ side, where the pools are currently based, is proposed to be refurbished and used for non-pool related activities.

Duncan Mason, agent representing the district council, told councillors at a meeting on Monday (February 16) that the application represented a “significant investment in Huntingdon’s health, wellbeing and community sports provision”.

He said: “The proposals are a direct response to clear strategic priorities and evidenced community need. Huntingdon currently faces a measurable shortage of swimming facilities, indoor fitness provision, and accessible racket facilities, this scheme addresses these gaps.

“It also brings the wet-side and dry-side into a single coordinated hub, delivering necessary operational efficiencies and improving the user experience to far better align with customer modern day expectations.”

Mr Mason said the redevelopment would offer leisure facilities “of a quality that the people of Huntingdon deserve”. Support for the project was shared by Huntingdon Town Council and Sports England.

Concerns were raised by Anglian Water, which objected due to the Huntingdon (Godmanchester) Water Recycling Centre having “insufficient capacity to accept additional flows from the development”.

Planning officers at the district council pointed out that this would be a replacement facility, not an entirely new development. They also said the day-to-day foul flows would be slightly lower than at present, with higher rates expected when gala and event days take place.

Officers said on balance they recommended the application should be approved, due to the “substantial public benefits” outweighing the potential harms.

New facilities will be a ‘great benefit to Huntingdonshire’

Councillor Jon Neish said the committee had to “look quite carefully” at the plans, as they had been put forward by the district council. He said the concerns about foul water were “a bit of an issue”, but highlighted that the advice provided to them was that the new facility would offer an improvement.

Cllr Neish said: “I think overall it is a really good scheme that will really benefit Huntingdonshire. [The leisure centre] covers a massive area, a lot of people go there, not just from a swimming perspective, but for the other health benefits.”

Councillor Eric Butler said he thought it was a “good scheme” and said he would support it, but said he had some concerns about only creating an extra 10 parking spaces. He said: “Huntingdon itself is under quite a lot of growth at the moment and even more is coming.

“The parking provision, it bothers me a little bit, if you are looking to have higher turnover of users I do not think 10 extra spaces will be enough, I think you need more provision for that.”

Councillor Kevin Gulson said he shared this concern, but suggested there could be ways to encourage people who live nearby to walk or cycle to the leisure centre, rather than driving. He said he believed the plans for the new facilities would be a “great benefit to the town and Huntingdonshire”.

Councillors ultimately agreed unanimously to approve the application.

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