Harrogate Borough Council officials have said the new Ripon swimming pool will be safe to open despite news this week that further ground investigations are necessary.

The six-lane pool on Dallamires Lane is due to open on December 8. The adjoining leisure centre is due to partially open on the same date.

The council issued a statement this week saying it planned to carry out “ground remedial works and a thorough investigation programme" of the leisure centre site, which could result in further remedial work and a six-month closure.

It follows the discovery of a void near the leisure centre last year, which prompted an investigation at an estimated cost of £110,000.

The Stray Ferret asked the authority whether it remained confident the pool was safe to open next month despite the need for further work, which will include commissioning a 3D map of underground soil conditions

A spokesperson said the sites were “two separate foundations” and that the swimming pool was safe to use.

Safety concerns

As reported by the Stray Ferret, Ripon-based chartered engineer Stanley Mackintosh has consistently raised concerns with the council about the suitability of building a swimming pool on land with a history of ground instability issues.

Mr Mackintosh told the Stray Ferret that public safety at the site had "to be the overriding consideration" and that he would be writing to senior Harrogate councillors ahead of their decision on further investigative works on Wednesday.

Dr Alan Thompson, a geologist and director of director of Cuesta Consulting in Somerset, has also previously raised safety concerns following an investigation by consultancy firm Stantec into the "cavity" that appeared at the site in September last year.

News of the latest investigation raises questions over whether the ground instability problems can be permanently solved and how much it will cost taxpayers to fund any further remedial works that may be required.

The city’s leisure centre will only be partially open when the new swimming pool comes on stream in five weeks time.

The ground floor is to remain closed, while the first floor gym will open.

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Read more:

• Ripon Leisure Centre: Harrogate council plans 3D soil map amid sinkhole fears


• Ripon leisure centre won’t fully open with new pool

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Council officials said in a report that the leisure centre could continue to operate half open while investigations at the site are carried out, possibly in the New Year.

It said:

However, the site will close for six months if further further work is required. The report added that the investigation would not affect the swimming pool.

Void discovered

When asked why the first floor of the leisure site was to remain open instead of closing the entire building during the investigations, a council spokesperson said "the consulting engineers have advised the existing leisure centre can remain open".

The void is understood to have been beneath the older half of the centre for several years and was discovered near where a sinkhole opened up in 2018. Ripon is notorious for sinkholes.

The initial investigations covered around 15% of the building’s footprint and if approved by senior councillors next week, the remainder will be surveyed.

It is likely this will lead to the need for ground strengthening works, similar to what was done to stabilise the ground beneath the new swimming pool.

During this time, the council said it would look to provide gym facilities at a different venue in the city which is one of the UK’s most sinkhole-prone areas.