'Strong appetite' for new watersports centre amid consultation with limited numbers interested in Eastney pool restoration
Latest findings have revealed a strong backing for the development of a new watersports centre in the city - with limited numbers interested in refurbishing Eastney Swimming Pool.
Portsmouth City council previously announced the ‘potential opportunity’ to develop a new watersports centre on the seafront, next to where Eastney Esplanade meets Henderson Road.
The council has today (September 1) released the findings from its public consultation on the future of the Eastney watersports site, which saw 1,800 people take part.
As a result, 64 per cent said they would be ‘very likely’ to use a new watersports centre, with stand-up paddleboarding and kayaking topping the list of preferred activities.
A mere 5 per cent of respondents expressed an interest in refurbishing the Eastney Swimming Pool after it fell into a state of disrepair amid its closure in 2020.
The council has said this percentage has come from responses to the "What types of sports facilities would you like to see included in the new watersports centre?" question on the survey.
The council previously said restoring the pool site would involve a multi-million pound project and it cannot ‘realistically be re-purposed’, prompting plans to demolish the existing building.
Instead, the £23.4m Bransbury Park development, which will feature a new leisure centre with a swimming pool and GP surgery, has been dubbed ‘the most cost effective way to provide’ a new pool.
Last year, members of the Eastney Pool Redevelopment Campaign group vowed to save Eastney Swimming Pool, emphasising the historic and community value of the site.
Paula Savage, an admin for the campaigning group, said: “They are hell bent on building this leisure centre which keeps going up in price every year - we are going to lose so much, not just the pool but the free courts, the trees and the play park is being moved.
“It is total fabrication that there isn’t any support for the redevelopment of Eastney pool. We have a vast amount of support via our Facebook group and two petitions - none of it makes sense.”
Councillor Steve Pitt, leader of Portsmouth City Council, said: "We’re grateful to everyone who took part in the consultation. The feedback clearly shows a strong appetite for a modern, inclusive watersports centre that meets the needs of our community today and into the future.
"With investment in a new leisure centre at Bransbury Park, renovation work at Mountbatten Centre, and the announcement of ambitious new operators of Hilsea Lido, we are demonstrating that we are serious about sport in the city."
The consultation also saw people highly favour a new café and public toilets, with changing rooms, storage lockers, indoor showers, and accessible amenities prioritised.
The council will now use the findings to inform where it can apply for funding to help bring the plans forward, and explore the possibility of a 'pop-up' offer on the site before any centre is built.
The Eastney swimming pool site is due to be cleared in the coming weeks to make it safe in the short term. This will be followed by the start of construction at Bransbury Park in early 2026.