Demolition work begins at Eastney Swimming Pool despite a last-ditch effort to save it

It comes despite a last-ditch attempt by campaigners to reverse a decision by Portsmouth City Council to demolish the pool and instead build a new leisure centre at Bransbury Park - with the Eastney site then redeveloped for other types of water sport.

A city council report said the former pool, which was closed as a result of the covid pandemic, had ‘major defects’ and dubbed it ‘obsolete’, recommending it be demolished as soon as possible on safety grounds as it is not suitable for repairs and had been a target for break-ins.

To read a copy of the report click here.

However campaigners were unhappy with the council’s decision-making process, believing some councillors had back-tracked on earlier statements about the project, and arguing that redeveloping the ‘historic’ Eastney site was better and more cost effective.

Eleven letters of objection were submitted to the council opposing the demolition plans, arguing that it was a loss of essential swimming pool facilities and pointing to the ‘substantial public opposition’ to its demolition.

Despite this, the city council was granted planning permission on Wednesday, October 1 to demolish the site saying there was no valid planning reason to refuse it, with crews moving in immediately to begin the work.

A council report said: “The demolition works do not fall within any of the criteria listed where development is not permitted.”

As previously reported by The News, Historic England had concluded that Eastney Swimming Pool does not have any special architectural and historic interest in a national context that would be required for it to be listed. This comes despite the pool being famously used by the Cockleshell Heroes for training ahead of Operation Frankton.

A ‘public engagement’ exercise was held earlier this year to gather views as to what the public would like to see the site used for in the future council’s plans.

Work on the new Bransbury Park Leisure Centre, which include a four-lane 25m pool, a learner pool, a relocated GP surgery for existing Devonshire Avenue patients, a fitness suite, spin and multi-purpose studios and a relocated playground is expected to begin next year.

Eastney will now follow in the footsteps of other lost swimming pools in the city over the years. This includes Victoria Swimming Baths which was demolished in 2010 as was earmarked for use by the University though this has not yet come into fruition, and the Pyramids in Southsea which has now been repurposed as a play centre.