Pavilions, Mayflower Centre and Central Park Pools

The Mayflower Leisure Centre and Central Park Leisure Pools closed on Sunday 18 March 2012, along with the leisure pool at Plymouth Pavilions.*

They have been replaced by some of the best swimming and sports facilities in the country at the Plymouth Life Centre.

The Mayflower Centre and Central Park Pools will be demolished by Balfour Beatty as part of the Plymouth Life Centre project and these sites will be returned to parkland. Work is expected to begin in May or June.

We have also been exploring options for replacing the ice rink at the Pavilions with an improved, full-size ice facility and spectator area. A notice was placed in the Official Journal of the European Union in 2011, inviting expressions of interest in buying the freehold on the Pavilions site and providing new or re-modelled ice skating and arena facilities.

Responses have now been evaluated and a preferred bidder is due to be selected by the Council’s Cabinet on Tuesday 24 April 2012.

The Cabinet will be asked to approve Akkeron Leisure Limited as the preferred bidder through its wholly owned subsidiary, Five Directions Limited (FDL).

If approved, FDL will refurbish the existing arena at the Pavilions site, re-cladding the building, creating a new entrance foyer, additional backstage and support spaces, upgrade the lighting and acoustics and increase its capacity.

The transaction will enable FDL to regenerate the existing Pavilions site, providing quality residential and retail development and creating a crucial link between Millbay and the city centre and triggering wider regeneration in the West End of the City Centre.

As well as the arena development a new international scale ice rink will be delivered on the car park adjacent to the Plymouth Argyle Football Club stadium.

The total capital investment into the Pavilions site is estimated at around £83 million.

For full details see our ‘Preferred bidder for developing Pavilions site due to be selected’ news story.

*Plymouth Pavilions is currently operated by Theatre Royal (Plymouth) Ltd and subsidised by the Council