A landmark leisure centre in Carlton could be demolished in a matter of months.
The Richard Herrod Centre, in Foxhill Road, has served the Gedling borough community for decades.
From the dry ski slope on site from the 1960s until the 1990s, to being the home of the Gedling Indoor Bowls Club from 1987 until 2026, the centre was also used as a vaccination centre during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The centre closed its doors at the start of May this year following the bowl club’s lease expiring and to make way for Gedling Borough Council’s plans for a new ‘Carlton Active’ leisure centre to be built.
This near-£30 million project involves both the Carlton Forum and Richard Herrod centres being knocked down to create a new centre built on the Richard Herrod site and could include an eight-lane swimming pool and teaching pool, a 100-station gym, community rooms and a café.
Now, the demolition of the Richard Herrod site is one step closer, after the authority submitted formal plans outlining its intention to knock down the building.
Demolition plans say the goal to start bringing down the building is September 28, 2026, with a completion date expected in either November or December this year.
The authority has been plagued with scrutiny over its decision to not include an indoor bowls facility within the Carlton Active project, where such a facility was originally considered in proposals.
It meant the 300-member-strong bowls club was effectively displaced with no solid alternative location to move into, with those involved concerned for the health and wellbeing of club members, whom many of which are older.
Ian Summerscales, a director at the club, previously said the lowest priced relocation option would have cost around £2 million to £3 million to take over an industrial unit, refurbish it and cover bills.
Councillor Henry Wheeler (Lab), portfolio holder for lifestyles, health and wellbeing, previously said a six-rink bowls facility in the plans would add between £5.6 million to £7.7 million to capital costs, leaving the council a subsidy of around £500,000 a year.
Speaking on Thursday (July 23), Councillor Sam Smith (Con) – who has previously been outspoken about the new leisure centre plans and decision to exclude the bowls club – called the project “a complete white elephant”.
He criticised the authority pushing forward with the scheme despite Local Government Reorganisation happening in the county, which will involve two new unitary authorities being created, including one which will now include Nottingham and parts of Gedling, Broxtowe and Rushcliffe and the other containing the rest of the county.
He said: “It is beyond ridiculous the tax payers of Gedling borough are being lumbered with a loan of £30 million to build a new leisure centre where the keys are going to be handed over to Nottingham City Council.
“The Carlton Active project is a complete white elephant. £30 million of debt the new council will be lumbered with, and it’s a new centre that doesn’t deliver everything the residents want.
“The Labour-run council needs to slam the brakes on and wait for the new [unitary] authority to take over.
“They’re gambling with residents’ money. Councillors won’t be there to answer for it because it will be a new authority.”
Gedling Borough Council previously said more than £2m in backlog works were required for the two existing leisure centres, which, along with a £545,000 yearly subsidy, made them “unsustainable in their current form”.
A decision on whether a prior notification is needed for the demolition works will be decided by the authority’s planners at a later date.
