Perth and Kinross Council urged to make a decision on Perth's new sports centre PH2O by Live Active Leisure's chairman

The chairman of Live Active Leisure has urged Perth and Kinross Council (PKC) to make a decision on its new leisure facility to replace Bell's Sports Centre, Dewars Centre and Perth Leisure Pool "as practically as possible".

It has been 10 years since the project was first launched to create a "one-stop 21st century flagship facility" in Perth called PH2O and was cited as a "spend to save opportunity".

However, the plans have been repeatedly shelved, the leisure centre's estimated cost has more than quadrupled from £25 million to £110 million and Live Active Leisure has been hit with costly maintenance - and flooding - issues at existing venues in the meantime.

In January 2024 - following an outcry from the world of curling - councillors voted for the new PH2O facility to include an ice rink; the rink had been controversially removed from the latest plans tabled by council officers.

The proposals - agreed by councillors in January - did not include indoor bowling or a purpose-built leisure pool with flumes but a 25m traditional swimming pool with "leisure swimming". A fully-costed plan for PH2O is due to be brought before councillors in August 2024.

Live Active Leisure's chairman David Maclehose has called for progress on PH2O to finally be made.

At a meeting of PKC's Scrutiny and Performance Committee on Wednesday, June 12, he said: "I would ask you all to see if we can get a decision as practically as possible."

He made the plea after councillors quizzed chief executive Paul Cromwell on Live Active Leisure's move from Bell's Sports Centre to Dewars Centre. The move will cost an estimated £900,000.

Bailie Chris Ahern raised concern about the investment on works in Dewars that "may be superseded by PH2O".

Live Active Leisure's chief executive Paul Cromwell said: "We are aware of sensitivity around spend particularly if PH2O is going to come online. Fundamentally we all wish to avoid abort of spend and make sure we maximise the investments that we have."

He outlined physical changes that will have to be made to develop the gym and studios as well as additional improvements to the changing rooms to "make sure we can accommodate the significant increased numbers that will be coming to Dewars".

He added: "It's been built into the business case and the budget in terms of a return of investment - even with that spend - over the next three years."

As discussions drew to a close, Live Active Leisure chairman David Maclehose pleaded with the council to make a decision on PH2O.

He said: "It's kind of obvious of this but LAL [Live Active Leisure] has been in a period of transition/uncertainty not just for the past 18 months but for certainly the last two years.

"I sincerely hope the council meeting in August - which is just round the corner now - a decision can be taken on which way we go with PH2O. Either it's going to be funded or it's not going to be funded; it's going to be on one site or whatever it is because then the team can start working on a final objective because it's extremely difficult.

"I'm amazed how the senior management team and all the staff manage to keep going optimistically and serving the community as they do with an uncertain time of moving from Bell's.

"Bell's isn't just a loved centre, it has always been a very useful centre. On a personal basis I was sorry in this. Because of the way things happened, we couldn't really consider it as part of the thing going forward but that may change."

Conservative councillor Frank Smith recently pitched a suggestion that Bell's - now a listed building - becomes an indoor football venue. This was repeated on Wednesday by Conservative councillor Keith Allan, while Liberal Democrat councillor Willie Robertson suggested it could be an all-weather tennis facility.

PKC's director of Strategy, People and Resources Claire Mailer revealed future plans for Bell's Sports Centre could be unveiled in August.

She told the committee: "Considerations are currently under way in terms of the future of Bell's Sports Centre. We are bringing the PH20 report -plans and proposal - to full council in August of this year. And I would anticipate that within that report we will have a bit of a steer in terms of the future of Bell's."