Major plans for a new leisure centre in Deal with a six-lane pool, gym, fun inflatable sessions and a toddler splash pad were agreed by DDC’s cabinet at a meeting last night (13 January).  

Councillors were asked to give approval for the ambitious £20m project to proceed to the next stage of development, including an additional swimming lane and leisure options. 

Original plans were for a five-lane pool and no dedicated splash pad, but after considering feedback from the public following nine engagement events and further testing the financial implications, an extra lane and leisure opportunities have been included in the scheme. 

This will be in addition to a new state-of-the-art gym and health and fitness studios, toning tables and cafe area.  

On this approval, the new-build facilities will potentially be delivered by summer 2027 and integrated with the existing sports hall and indoor tennis centre. 

The lease between the current operator Your Leisure and DDC to operate Tides Leisure Centre ends on 31 March 2025, at which point the swimming pool and gym will close to allow the project to progress. 

While it had been hoped to keep the tennis centre and sports hall open at this time, during the meeting councillors agreed that these facilities will need to close for nine months from 1 April 2025 while a new Deal Leisure Centre management contract is being tendered. 

The new contract will begin with a new provider in January 2026, at which point the sports hall and tennis centre will reopen while development work continues. 

Your Leisure has informed their staff and will be writing to their customers by the end of the month to let them know how the closure of the centre will affect their membership. 

Leader of DDC Cllr Kevin Mills said: “It has been a long journey to reach this point and we are thrilled to be within touching distance of work beginning on this exciting new leisure centre for Deal.

“We listened to your feedback during our public engagement sessions and are pleased to be able to add an extra swimming lane which will allow for fun inflatable sessions and lane swimming, as well as a splash pad for our youngest residents.

“We have worked hard to make this centre deliverable in what has been a tough financial climate and some difficult decisions have had to be made. The closure of the gym and swimming pool while the project progresses was a cross-party recommendation from the Project Advisory Group and while we understand people’s frustrations, this project will benefit residents and current user groups in the long-term.

“We will be working with local groups to explore what other facilities are available to users while the centre is closed.

“We look forward to taking this positive step forward to provide much needed facilities for residents and visitors.”

To keep updated on the project please go to the Deal Leisure Centre page.

Notes: 

Proposals for the new Deal Leisure Centre were initiated in 2018 but progress was significantly disrupted by COVID-19 as the leisure industry began to recover and rebuild.    

Plans were further developed in 2022 when a series of consultation events were held to share early design concepts.  

A report was considered by Cabinet in November 2023 to provide a project update and consider financial viability issues, when it was agreed to explore further options that might enable the project to move forward.  

The new plans are bringing forward a range of exciting new facilities for the area, while working to ensure the project remains affordable and deliverable. 

In accordance with DDC’s Constitution, executive decisions made by Cabinet are subject to call-in by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee. The period for call-in expires four working days after the record of decision is published. Therefore, the information contained in this release may be subject to further review and changes and may not reflect the final decision. 

Dover District Council’s Cabinet is set to consider latest options for a new leisure centre in Deal at a meeting on 13 January – this comes as the lease between Your Leisure and DDC to operate Tides Leisure Centre ends on 31 March 2025.

DDC continues to progress major proposals for a new leisure centre in Deal which will include a swimming pool, larger gym and a range of fitness studios. A full report is to be considered by Cabinet members, who are being asked to give approval for the project to proceed to the next stages of development (RIBA stage 3 & 4), including a six-lane pool option with inflatable pool fun opportunities and a toddler splash pad.

DDC is actively investigating interim operating arrangements for the Sports Hall and Indoor Tennis Centre, as it is not financially viable for Your Leisure and DDC to undertake a new lease.

This follows a series of engagement events this autumn to encourage feedback from residents on the proposed new facility, which is being taken fully into consideration.

This also follows news in July 2024 that the green light had been given to move to the next stage of development for a new leisure centre in Deal, with an agreement to further explore an additional swimming lane and leisure options. DDC’s Cabinet gave the go ahead to progress exciting plans for a £19m project and agreed for a Project Advisory Group to look into these issues in detail, which has been taking place. 

Cllr Kevin Mills, Leader of DDC, said: “Following the decision in July to move to the next stage of development for this major project, we’re very pleased to have been able to listen to the views of local communities, and to be considering this matter again at our Cabinet meeting in January. We’ve been working hard over the last two years to deliver the new leisure centre despite previous concerns over its affordability, to listen to what people want for the future, and to move forward with modern facilities for residents and visitors.”

For more information, please see the Deal Leisure Centre page on the DDC website or see the report to Cabinet on the DDC website.