Issue - meetings

Background: 

This report provided details of a proposal to build a new family-friendly sports centre in Rainham, on the site of the existing Splashes sports centre. The report stated that on 8 June 2021, to enable the demolition of Splashes Leisure Centre and remove the risks of building collapse, vandalism / anti-social behaviour and ongoing maintenance costs, the Cabinet approved the demolition of the existing Splashes Leisure Centre building to allow for a future Leisure facility on that site (decision number 56/2021).

The report stated that it was the authority’s explicit intention to develop a brand new, state-of-the-art facility on this site and the next stage of the project would focus on the new development at the site and bring greater cost certainty for the Council, enabling the procurement of the main building works. Once this greater cost certainty had been achieved a report would be taken to Cabinet and then to Full Council seeking an addition to the capital budget for development of the new Splashes facility.

Reasons:

The new centre will provide important modern, family-friendly sports and physical activity facilities in the east of Medway, complementing other Council sports facilities.

Approval of the recommendation will enable procurement to proceed with the appointment of an architect and project team to develop detailed proposals and to bring the Council greater cost-certainty prior to the start of development.