Improvements to County Durham leisure centres would cost £109 million

The local authority revealed plans to build new sites in Seaham and Chester-le-Street and make a raft of improvements elsewhere in the county in 2020 as part of an ambitious redevelopment programme. 

Upgrades to leisure centres at the Riverside in Chester-le-Street, Shildon, Meadowfield, and Freeman’s Quay in Durham were also proposed but have now been paused. 

Estimated costs for the new facilities in Chester-le-Street and Seaham have reportedly risen from £32 million in 2020 to an estimated combined cost of £52.7 million.

Plans for new leisure centres in County Durham have been cast in doubt (Image: The Northern Echo)

Councillor James Rowlandson, cabinet member Resources, Investment and Assets, said the council’s programme has been affected by global and local financial challenges. 

Speaking at a cabinet meeting he said: “Our aspirations to bring forward and deliver on the full programme remain, however, the cost of delivering the programme would be in excess of £109 million.

“This is a result of a period of extraordinary inflationary pressures. Like all other local authorities, the council is in a far worse financial position than it was in 2020.

“In this context, the commitment of an additional £46 million to bring the total investment of over £109 million on what is an important, but ultimately discretionary service, is too high a financial risk for the council to take.”

Despite the changed approach, cllr Rowlandson praised the council’s continued work and investment in the community. 

He added: “A £62.2 million investment in the health and wellbeing agenda through commitments to the leisure centres remains exceptional in the current climate. There are very few areas nationally providing such a level of investment in this.”

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A new leisure centre in Bishop Auckland is under construction, while improved sites in Peterlee and Pity Me have recently reopened. 

Councillor Elizabeth Scott, cabinet member for economy, said: “Our focus on the provision of affordable facilities for residents are substantial. The impact of the work to date should not be underestimated. 

“Customer feedback from the transformed sites has been extremely positive, with increased use by families and young people and older people.”