A new plan for the future of Palmer Park has been approved, but construction of a new swimming pool is set to be delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Reading Borough Council’s (RBC) Palmer Park Development Framework sets out how Palmer Park will be transformed in the coming years, with a focus on the new 25m swimming pool.
The council awarded a £43million leisure contract to GLL in January to design, build and operate Reading’s leisure service, including building two new swimming pools in Rivermead and Palmer Park.
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The 25m six-lane pool at Palmer Park, which was previously expected to be ready by early 2022, will now likely be delayed due to the Covid-19 crisis.
It will replace the closed Arthur Hill swimming pool.
The new Rivermead pool, replacing the current one, was due to be complete by summer 2022, but is now also set to be delayed.
Leader of the council Jason Brock said: “It is very likely there will be some form of delay but I am still very keen that we progress these major projects as quickly as possible.
“At this stage it is not possible to quantify what the delay will look like.
“It depends on so many factors such as how quickly we move out of this crisis and the longer term economic effects, particularly around the construction industry.”
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Other projects that are likely to be delayed include Green Park Station and the introduction of food waste collection.
The plan for Palmer Park
The strategy was approved by the council’s chief executive Peter Sloman this month as meetings were cancelled due to the Covid-19 lockdown.
RBC is now set to hold its first virtual meeting next week on Microsoft Teams after government legislation passed to allow online decision-making.
Following consultation feedback, including opposition to the loss of green space to parking, RBC revised the Palmer Park framework, reducing the amount of car parking space proposed.
This means less green space will be lost when the new car park is built in comparison to previous proposals.
However, the council adds that ultimately the amount of car parking – and lost green space – will be dependant on a transport assessment at the planning application stage.
The park currently has 209 car parking spaces.
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As well as the new pool, plans for Palmer park include:
- Refurbishing the stadium building
- Two new cafes
- A sensory and wildlife garden
- Finding a new use for the vacant Victorian public toilet building.
Other new additions to the framework following consultation in 2018 and 2019 include providing space for coach parking, drop-offs and cycle parking spaces.
The council has also removed reference to its previous proposal to remove the ERAPA accessible play equipment.
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