Withdean's new 25m pool goes to a final vote in December, at a higher cost

The council’s cabinet will make the final decision on a new community swimming pool at Withdean Sports Complex at its meeting on Thursday 10 December. It would be a five-lane, 25m pool, and the first new publicly funded pool built in the city for around 40 years.

Construction costs have gone up, though, and cabinet members are being asked to increase the budget. The council blames the global economic crisis and the effect of conflict in the Middle East on the building industry. It hasn’t said how much more the pool will cost. A council spokesman told Brighton and Hove News² that the figure won’t be published until a week before the meeting.

The planning committee approved the pool unanimously last year. Since then the council has run procurement for the main building contract and worked on the planning conditions that have to be met before building starts.

The changing area has also been redesigned. Alongside a communal cubicle area, there will now be cubicles for men and for women, plus accessible changing. The council told Brighton and Hove News the new designs follow Equality and Human Rights Commission guidance that single-sex provision should be based on biological sex.

Labour councillor Alan Robins, the cabinet member for sports, said: “This is a once in a generation opportunity to provide a new swimming pool at Withdean, so it’s really important that we ensure it is delivered to meet the needs of the city and local community.”

He added: “Residents had a huge input in helping us shape the initial plans for the pool and, after listening to feedback, we have made some additional changes to the design.”

The pool will be paid for with section 106 money from developers and council borrowing. The plans came out of a city-wide consultation and talks with swimming clubs, community groups, Freedom Leisure and Swim England.

Cabinet meets at 10.30am in the Council Chamber at Hove Town Hall, the proposed venue. Anyone can go along or watch live online, and residents can ask a question at the meeting.