28-04-2025
Perth's new sports centre PH2O "at least five years away"
The head of Live Active Leisure understands Perth's new swimming pool and leisure centre will not be ready within the next five years. Chief executive Paul Cromwell told councillors this week - as far as he was aware - the long-awaited PH2O was "at least five years away". The revelation was made at a meeting of Perth and Kinross Council's Scrutiny and Performance Committee on Wednesday, April 23. The Live Active Leisure boss was providing an update to councillors, alongside the council's two other arm's length external organisations - Culture Perth and Kinross and Perth Theatre and Concert Hall. Cllr Willie Robertson asked Mr Cromwell if the gym facilities - which were moved from Bell's Sports Centre to Dewars Centre last year - were permanent or if they would be reusable at PH2O. Mr Cromwell said: "I suppose to a certain degree, there is the potential still of a blank canvas in that it could be converted into something else with suitable investment. "Obviously, we have made changing rooms which will be a permanent fixture going forward. "I'm not going to labour on PH2O but it is still at least five years away, to my knowledge. "So, in terms of the investment, it's been significant in the facilities and I think that's reflected in the quality of what we're providing and the success of it in the short time it's been open. "You've got a space there which could be converted quite easily. In terms of equipment, we can obviously pick that equipment up and move that to somewhere else so that investment is still there as well." Live Active Leisure opened the gym and fitness studios at Dewars Centre in September 2024. The decision to relocate the facilities from Bell's Sports Centre to Dewars Centre was taken after Bell's Sports Centre suffered around £2 million of flood damage on October 8, 2023 when floodgates on the North Inch were left open. The 100+ state-of-the-art gym at Bell's had only just opened 15 months prior to the flooding, after a £750,000 revamp. Plans for Perth's replacement swimming and leisure centre PH2O were first floated 10 years ago but the project has been repeatedly shelved by Perth and Kinross Council since then. In September 2024 councillors voted to approve a watered down £61 million PH2O proposal be built at Thimblerow. It would replace Perth Leisure Pool and the now closed Bell's Sports Centre. Perth Leisure Pool would be demolished and affordable housing built on its Glover Street site, upon completion of PH2O. Dewars Centre would remain in situ. Councillors voted to engage with the curling community on the possibility of curling bodies running Dewars Centre for a next-to-nothing rent. The proposal approved last September would see PH2O feature an eight-lane 25m pool, 12.5m x 8.5m teaching pool (both with movable floors), a toddler splash pad area, an indoor play area (potential Clip n' Climb or other family play activity), games hall, gym, studios and café. As opposed to a purpose-built leisure pool, it would have "family-friendly" swimming of programmed weekend/holiday inflatable sessions. However the "watered down" £61 million energy-efficient proposal has been strongly criticised. There has also been strong opposition to Perth's new sports centre being built on the site of a busy city centre car park. A Say No to Thimblerow petition - which currently has around 2500 signatures - has called for the new complex to include: a purpose-built leisure pool with flumes, kids' splash park, a 25m six/eight-lane training pool, ice rink, large commercial gym, fitness studios, sports halls and a large bowling hall/events hall. When setting the council's budget - in February 2025 - councillors voted to retain £90 million in the PH2O budget to allow financial flexibility to potentially splash out on additional facilities. On June 18, councillors will meet to consider Perth's future leisure options. Council officers will present a report to elected members outlining feedback from the Bell's Sports Centre consultation and proposals for its future, leisure water options for PH2O and an update on the feasibility of a community-led ice sports facility at Dewars Centre.
