Council overspend £100,000 due to new facility’s two-month opening delay

The 17.4m Sedbergh Leisure Centre's delay costing 100,000

A new state-of-the-art leisure centre set to open this weekend has cost a council £100,000 in overspending after two months of delays.

Construction on the £17.4 million Sedbergh Leisure Centre, on Cleckheaton Road, Wyke, began in spring last year to replace the soon-to-be-demolished Richard Dunn Centre, on Rooley Avenue.

On Saturday, the new centre will open its doors to the public for the first time, two months after originally intended, leading to a £100,000 overspend of the Council’s Sports Facilities Budget, according to a report received by the Bradford Council’s Executive.

Despite the delay, councillors have pledged the facilities will tick the town’s carbon-reduction boxes.

Bradford councillor Sarah Ferriby said: “This facility will offer a modern and energy-efficient environment.”

John Coulton, Sports Facilities Manager, said: “There are top-of-the-line (mixed ability) toilets, with adjustable height sinks, and changing facilities.

“The development has seen five poor quality pitches replaced with three quality pitches and a training pitch.”

Mr Coulton confirmed the Richard Dunn Centre, one of the most energy inefficident buildings in Yorkshire, will be replaced with Premier League football quality facilities.

Mr Coulton said behind street lighting, Richard Dunn was the Council’s biggest user of energy.

The Council is hoping the new facilities will attract more gym subscriptions and compete with private gyms to encourage people to register with the new high-tech centre, bringing extra finances to the Council.