Ambitious plans for a £13.6 million multi purpose leisure and community facility on Aberavon Seafront are being unveiled today.
3rd December 2010
Residents in Neath Port Talbot are being asked to give their views on a flagship project to rebuild the fire damaged Afan Lido on the existing site to serve the local community, the wider county borough and visitors.
The building has been designed to shape the future of leisure provision in Neath Port Talbot. It will support existing commercial facilities and the future regeneration plans for Aberavon Seafront.
The funding package includes a bid for European grant, an insurance payment, savings from energy and operational efficiencies and a small amount of capital funding from the Council.
Exhibitions are being held county borough wide at Port Talbot Civic Centre, Neath Civic Centre and Pontardawe One Stop Shop.
Illustrations and artists impressions available to the public show the detailed layout of the two storey building. They include a 25 metre swimming pool, a learner pool, sports hall, fitness suite and dance studio. A cafeteria will also be located on the ground floor.
The leisure part of the facility will be run in partnership with Celtic Community Leisure.
Separated by a glass walkway atrium, a ‘community hub’ is to be created in partnership with New Sandfields Aberavon, a well established community based organisation.
Here plans include a library, ICT training room, a learning resource centre, a youth facility, a crèche and conference and community rooms.
Also proposed is accommodation for 20 enterprise units for new small businesses.
These proposals will mean that Sandfields library, Seaway Parade Education Centre, Dalton Road and Aberavon community centres will have their facilities incorporated into the community hub. However, the council will pilot a scheme where Dalton Road community centre will transfer to New Sandfields Aberavon for the community themselves to run.
“Exhibitions begin Friday 3rd December 2010 and end Friday 31st January 2011 when feedback will be analysed and the funding finalised,” says Head of Regeneration at Neath Port Talbot Council, Gareth Nutt.
“Later in 2011 the Council hopes to take a decision that will progress the 18 month project to the build stage. Our target is to begin work late 2011 or early 2012.
“In the meantime, there is work still to be done. Specialist contractors are still inside clearing contamination in line with health and safety regulations and the building will come down as soon as health and safety requirements are met and our insurers allow.”
Leader of Neath Port Talbot Council, Ali Thomas, said, “At the time of the fire, the Council made a commitment to rebuild the Afan Lido so I am pleased to see this major step forward.
“The Afan Lido has served the community well over the last 50 years and the fire was a very sad day for Neath Port Talbot Council but this will be a new chapter in the history of Aberavon Seafront. We now have an opportunity to rebuild a modern, first class, state of the art leisure and community facility for the 21st century which I’m sure residents will welcome.
“Residents will have their chance to find out and comment on the plans and I would encourage them to let us know what they think and any ideas they may have.”
The plans can also be viewed at www.npt.gov.uk/regeneration
