Eastney swimming pool demolition plans submitted to council
Plans detailing how Eastney Swimming Pool will be demolished have been submitted to Portsmouth City Council.
The council has lodged proposals for the removal of the historic pool, which is expected to be levelled by the end of the year.
The application, submitted on 5 September, sets out the proposed method of demolition. The process would begin with the building being stripped by hand before the main structure is dismantled using a 360-degree excavator.
For safety, perimeter fencing will be erected around the site, ensuring the Grade II-listed Second World War pillbox and anti-tank defences are protected.
Dust suppression units, dampening systems and limited use of hydraulic breakers are expected to minimise dust, noise and vibration during the works.
The demolition paves the way for a new facility in Bransbury Park, which will feature a swimming pool, gym and GP surgery just 750 metres from the Eastney site. The project is estimated to cost around £23.4 million.
The decision has been heavily criticised by members of the Eastney Pool Redevelopment Group, who argue the pool is a historic landmark that should be preserved. They claim that refurbishing Eastney Pool would cost half as much as the Bransbury scheme.
A petition on Change.org was recently launched calling for the demolition to be halted. Campaigners have alleged that the council “lied” to secure planning permission for the Bransbury development — a claim the authority has strongly denied.
The council has insisted that the £8 million required to restore Eastney Pool would not represent good value for public money, stressing that the building is unsuitable for learners and inaccessible to people with disabilities.
Work on the new Bransbury play park is due to begin this autumn, while construction of the main leisure centre and GP surgery is scheduled to start in early 2026, with completion expected in 2027.
Earlier this month the council said the demotion is expected to take place “in the coming weeks” and finished by the end of the year.
Built in 1904 as part of the Eastney Royal Marine Barracks, the pool was famously used to train the Cockleshell Heroes — 13 Royal Marine commandos who carried out a daring canoe mission to Bordeaux in 1942.
Historic England declined to support listing the pool despite its wartime associations. Residents can view and comment on the application using the planning reference 25/01034/DEM.
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