'Abandoned' swimming pool to reopen temporarily

Birmingham City Council has announced that Small Heath Leisure Centre will be brought back into use in the “medium term” while options for a new “state-of-the-art” facility are explored.

However, the old pool, which closed in 2016, still requires “significant work” to rectify structural damage and the council cannot yet provide a timeframe for the job.

The council said: “Birmingham City Council is working to bring the existing pool in Small Heath back into use, by conducting the crucial repairs that need to take place.

“This is complicated work and will take some time to complete, and the council will work closely with other stakeholders from the site, including Small Heath Leadership Academy, the library and the youth service, to minimise disruption to services.

“As significant work is required to bring the pool back into use, it is not yet possible to give a timescale for when this work will be completed.”

The council had come under fire from residents who were frustrated that the pool had been left “abandoned” and claimed they had been “left in the dark about its future”.

Furthermore, it was recently revealed that the council had turned down an offer of cash from Sport England which would have funded a third of the cost of the repairs.

In 2017 Sport England offered to put up to £150,000 if Birmingham City Council would front the remaining cost of the £400,000 repairs.

However, the council delayed the decision until 2019, when it rejected the money due to fact costs had risen to almost £1 million and the work was “not a priority”.

Councillor Mariam Khan, cabinet member for health and social care, said: “Everyone is keen to see swimming facilities return to Small Heath, as since the pool closed in 2016 there has not been provision in the local area.

“The return of swimming facilities to the neighbourhood would help to improve health outcomes and provide an important leisure and recreational space.”

Councillor Ian Ward, leader of Birmingham City Council, said: “The Small Heath Leisure Centre has been a vital part of the Small Heath and Bordesley Green community for many years, and that is why we are also looking at plans to build a new, modern leisure facility in the area, complete with a swimming pool.

“This development would bring state-of-the-art facilities to the area, giving local people the chance to take part in sport and leisure on a redeveloped site.”