AMBITIOUS plans to replace Parr Swimming and Fitness Centre with a state-of-the-art leisure complex, alongside a new Saints training centre, have moved a step closer.

The  proposals were discussed by St Helens Council’s cabinet at its meeting on Wednesday.

A report setting out the next steps of a partnership project between the council and Saints for a state-of-the-art leisure complex in Parr came before members.

It comes after the council commissioned a feasibility study to investigate the viability of replacing Parr Swimming and Fitness Centre with a multi-purpose locality hub alongside a new Saints training centre that would focus on "improving health and wellbeing outcomes" for residents.

Cllr Richard McCauley, cabinet member for regeneration and planning, labelled the Parr site as a "much-loved" facility.

However, he stated the state-of-the-art development would be "great" for Saints and "even more importantly" it would be "fantastic" for residents of Parr and the wider borough.

Deputy council leader Cllr Seve Gomez-Aspron also shared his views.

'The right thing to do'

He said: “I think from a locality perspective it’s the right thing to do.

“When times are hard, the temptation would be patch and repair Parr Leisure Centre for as long as we can, making it something that nobody particularly enjoys, and it becomes a massive drain on resource.

“The bold thing is to demolish it, get rid of it, replace it with something which excites people to go and use, is ambitious for the residents of that area.

“It happens to have coincided with the library review, with the wider estates review, that we’re doing.

“And when you look around and notice that most of the newest stuff was built in the 1960s and the 70s it’s about time, we’ve probably sweated the asset for as long as we can, and it’s right to get rid of it.

“Likewise, that route into the town centre of St Helens is a busy route in, we don’t want to be driving past a derelict leisure centre on the way in, we should have higher standards than that – and we can make that plan going forward.”

Design options

The feasibility report has explored the different design options available to the council for a new locality hub – which could include a swimming pool, gym and soft play – as well as an elite rugby performance centre with external training pitches for use by Saints and the wider public.

The proposed scheme will now move forward to the second stage of the commissioning process to outline a business case that will develop architectural concepts, "firm up" partners’ involvement and fully scope out the range of facilities that could be developed on the site.

The next stage will also explore how the council can build a new facility that meets the public needs and aspirations, provides good value for money and considers the environmental impact.

Demolition

Meanwhile, the council has stated that, with ambitions for the project high and it now being clear that the current Ashcroft Street site is ‘beyond economic repair’ and would not meet future aspirations, the much larger Parr Stocks Playing Fields site to the east will now be considered as a "more suitable" location for the future development.

The cabinet has approved capital funding of £1.032 million for the demolition of the existing Ashcroft Street building, as well as funding to commission an outline business case, while delegating authority to the executive director of place, in consultation with the executive director of corporate services, to appoint a contractor following a procurement exercise.