A leisure centre shut down suddenly over “serious health concerns” – including the presence of legionella bacteria – is set to be demolished.
Daisyfield Pools Leisure Centre in Daisy Lane, Blackburn, was shut down on Saturday, August 19, 2023, by its owners Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, and has never reopened.
Now the council has formally applied to its own planning officers for permission to demolish the two-storey structure “on the grounds of its dilapidated state”.
It comes after a consultation was held into the site’s future, which found a high level of unrest over the continuing closure. The council’s own report stated: “The consensus shows support for Daisyfield Pools and many feel that losing the pools would be a big blow to the local area and the community that resides there. Many users have attended Daisyfield Pools since childhood and believe the building has significance to the history of Blackburn.”
Despite this, the council’s finance council meeting in February approved the knocking down of Daisyfield Pools and the redundant Shadsworth Leisure Centre and allocated a budget of £1.5 million to cover the demolition costs for both. The authority could not afford the £3.1m annual maintenance and security costs of leaving the building standing empty, and it was deemed at high risk of attracting vandalism and anti-social behaviour.
The authority’s Conservative group leader Cllr John Slater, who opposed the shutting of Daisyfield Pools at the executive board meeting, said at the time: “This is sad. The Daisyfield Pools closure should not have happened. The council is just selling off all its assets to keep itself afloat. It does not care about the people of Blackburn.”
What next?
If planning chiefs approve the plans, demolition will comprise of pulling down the main building, grubbing-up the foundations and disused services, and filling voids with compacted crushed fill. Footpaths surrounding the site will be made safe.
- Original Article: Lancashire Post
- Date: September 2024