Timeline for revamp of Spalding’s Castle Sports Complex set out – with hope that inflation will ease

Construction work on the new-look Castle Sports Complex is due to start in a year’s time - with council bosses hoping that inflation doesn’t hamper the plans.

The Government awarded £20 million of Levelling Up cash for the Spalding leisure centre to South Holland District Council earlier this year - and paperwork to legally accept this cash has just been signed to formalise the agreement.

The council is also expecting to put in £6 million of its own money into the revamp of the ageing facilities - a long-standing ambition that was previously delayed by the 2008 financial crisis.

District leader Nick Worth set out a timeframe for when this project will be progressed - with consultation and a formal planning application to come in time for the first spade in the ground next June.

Coun Worth said: “It’s a quick turnaround - and has to be as part of the funding agreement.

“There’s an enormous amount of work in there. We have got to get the business plan sorted.”

Over the next year the council will need to get quotes for the work.

Inflation has put pressure on local authority construction projects - with Lincolnshire County Council recently pulling £27 million earmarked for the Spalding Western Relief Road to help fund projects elsewhere.

Coun Worth feels the situation is easing - and remains hopeful that inflation will ease by the time the construction begins.

He said: “I think it is starting to tail off now. That should be better - but it’s still going to be quite challenging.”

The Castle revamp is seen as important for tackling health issues here - with South Holland and Boston both near the bottom of the table for activity.

The original plans included a new 3G floodlit football pitch to allow play all year round, a changing pavilion, a multi-use games area for a variety of other sports and three new swimming pool facilities including a large pool, a teaching pool and a splash pad.

The idea was to create a ‘health and wellbeing hub’ bringing in services for mental health, diabetes, Alzheimer's and dementia support.

The idea would be to knock down the old pool, build the new one next to the ‘dry side’ and replace the current side with extra care housing for older residents.

The project has attracted some comments from people in other parts of the district, who want to see investment outside of Spalding too.

Coun Worth said: “You will never get a swimming pool anywhere else. Not just the cost of building but also the cost of maintaining. That’s the reality.

“There’s no reason why people can’t have a community gym like in Holbeach St Marks, you can do all sorts of things. I know Crowland has aspirations on that front.

“But we have got to have a facility for the main town in the district.”

With work due to begin in a year, it leaves Spalding Flower Parade one more year of use of the Castle field.