Plans for a new Perth leisure centre are expected to go before councillors again next month following a huge public backlash against the current proposal at Thimblerow.
In September, elected members narrowly voted through a plan that would see a watered-down version of the facility built without an ice rink or dedicated leisure water.
The proposal is a far cry from the flagship PH2O facility that has been mooted for over a decade, to be built on the current leisure pool site at Glover Street.
The issue is expected to come before councillors again on February 26.
Here, The Courier looks at five factors which could see councillors overturn the much maligned Thimblerow proposal.
1. The public don’t want it
The Thimblerow plan has been met with near-unanimous derision from the public since it was voted through five months ago.
The city’s swimming clubs and curlers were clear that a Glover Street facility was their preferred option.
A petition asking councillors to overturn the decision has gathered nearly 2,500 signatures online and been handed over to the local authority.
It is that petition by former leisure pool employee Bobby Brian which will bring the plan before councillors again.
2. Reduces already low leisure water hours
The biggest concern for the public is the lack of dedicated leisure water at the Thimblerow site – a provision currently available at Perth Leisure Pool.
A draft timetable of how the new centre could operate shows that children’s leisure activities would be cut by 30 hours a week.
It would also reduce the number of days these activities are available from seven to two.
Last year, The Courier revealed that Perth already has the lowest number of pool hours available for leisure swimmers in all cities across Tayside, Fife and Stirling.
3. Car parking issues
Parking spaces are an issue with the new centre set to be built on the popular Thimblerow car park.
The local authority’s own figures reveal that Thimblerow is at 90% capacity during peak times.
Over Christmas, The Courier showed how the city centre car park was gridlocked with shoppers queueing to use one of its 200 spaces.
The council’s overall leisure centre masterplan, including building 150 new homes at Glover Street, would see Perth lose 335 spaces.
4. Listed status bid at current pool
Perth Leisure Pool is currently being reconsidered for listed status after council bosses failed to inform Historic Environment Scotland (HES) of their plans to build at Thimblerow.
In July, the local authority sent a letter to HES stating plans to build a new leisure centre at the current pool site on Glover Street were at an advanced stage.
Based on that letter, HES decided against listing the pool despite believing it was worthy of a Category B status.
Less than two weeks later, council bosses revealed plans to build the new leisure centre at Thimblerow with the current pool to be demolished for 150 houses.
As a result, HES have reopened the case following a request from heritage campaigners Twentieth Century Society.
HES told The Courier on Wednesday that the listed status proposal is still being re-examined.
5. Flooding concerns
Part of the overall masterplan for building the centre at Thimblerow is to free up space for 150 new homes at the current Perth Leisure Pool site on Glover Street.
However, that idea has raised flooding concerns with the founder of Perth Community Flood Aid, Janice Haig, warning councillors of risks.
The pool was was forced to close for 14 months after a thunderstorm in August 2020 left its pump room under 16ft of water.
And Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) maps put parts of the site at medium to high risk of flooding from surface water.
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