Asbestos discovery leads to pool repair delays

Repair works at a swimming pool will take longer than expected after sealed asbestos was found in the roof space, the council confirmed.

Richmond Swimming Pool in North Yorkshire shut in April last year after the partial collapse of a ceiling, before further issues were identified.

A £1.2m repair programme was agreed by North Yorkshire Council in October "to protect the future of the pools and ensure the safety of users".

Councillor Simon Myers, the authority's executive member for leisure, said the facility was "an incredibly valued and vital part of the town's fabric" and he hoped to "see it enjoyed again by the public as soon as possible".

"The identification of asbestos means some extra work is required to allow its safe removal," he said.

"Where possible, we are looking to expedite some of the other works to give us the best chance of reopening the pools at the earliest opportunity."

He added that the asbestos was encapsulated so did not posed any health risk to pool users, or anybody else who has previously accessed the building.

A consultation into the future of the pool held last year revealed that many residents expressed support for reopening the facility after essential repairs.

Of 2,200 respondents, more than half said they used the facility at least once a week, with 91% feeling it was either "very important" or "moderately important" that the site was saved.

The council previously said the "strength of public opinion" had prompted the commitment to the package of remedial works, to make the facility safe to reopen.

Myers added that it had become "abundantly clear from the public survey that Richmond Swimming Pool is an incredibly valued and vital part of the town's fabric".

Customers will be given a definite reopening date as the repairs continue to progress, the council added.

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