Chelmsford City Council has announced plans for a new £25m revamp of the Riverside Ice and Leisure Centre with new pool and fitness studio by February 2018.

The plans, which will be located on the exisiting site alongside the ice rink, will include a new ten lane by 25m long swimming pool with flexible barrier and depth control, a 10m x 10m leisure pool with splash zone and sensory equipment and 300 spectator seats.

A 120 station fitness gym and studio plus spin studio are also planned for the new facility, which will be built next to the existing centre in Chelmsford.

The ice rink will also remain in place but the current swimming pool and leisure centre will be demolished once work is complete on the new centre.

However, there will be no outdoor pool or diving facilities available in the new centre.

The outdoor pool, which was closed following an asbestos scare last year, will no longer open to the public and is expected to be decommissioned and covered up in the coming weeks.

Councillor Ride said: “I can fully understand the demand for these types of facilities but we have made our plans on providing access and leisure to as many people as we can. In this context the diving and outdoor facility are not financially or practically viable.

"We will, of course, work with any special interest groups to discuss alternative training options and also encourage them to consider the availability of international standard facilities within the region.”

The project is being put before the Council’s Cabinet and Full Council for agreement and approval of the feasibility plan. Based on this approval, a detailed design and operational plan will be submitted in January 2016 Cabinet Member for Parks & Leisure, Councillor Ray Ride, who made the announcement today, said: “Riverside is a much loved facility that has served us well, but it is not sustainable and will not meet the demands of our community for the future.”

The new facility is directly linked to plans for development within the City that amounts to over £500m of public and private sector development in the next two years.

The new Leisure Centre investment complements retail, business and housing investment to provide a first class facility in the City Centre. Unlike the existing facility, business proposals for the new centre also mean that it will be developed to provide a revenue return of some £500k per annum.

The new Leisure Centre will be designed to provide access to the widest possible cross section of the community under the principle ‘The Best Leisure Offer for the Most People’ providing an affordable family-friendly attraction suitable for all.

Councillor Ride added:“We are keen to develop our leisure facilities to be as inclusive as possible.

"New technologies mean that we will be able to offer a service to individuals and groups who may have been previously excluded from using a swimming pool, in particular physical and sensory disabled groups.”

Built on the site of the existing Riverside Ice and Leisure Centre, the new facility will be adjacent to the existing Ice Rink and will include a 25m x 10 lane pool with flexible barrier and depth control, a 10m x 10m splash/learner/sensory pool, seating for up to 300 spectators and an option for an exciting flume ride.

The Riverside Investment Plan will be funded by the sale of capital assets and other funding that has already been identified.

Construction of the new facility is planned to start in October 2016, with a grand opening scheduled for early February 2018.

Councillor Ride acknowledges that the proposal will mean some disruption, said: “We accept that we will be subjected to certain limitations during construction of the new facility but with careful planning and management we can keep this to a minimum.

"The end result will be a first class leisure facility in the heart of our City that meets the demands of our community for the next 40 plus years.”