Shadsworth’s redundant leisure centre demolition scheduled

On January 1 2019 Blackburn with Darwen Council shut Shadsworth Leisure Centre as the fitness hub had been losing money.

Attempts to find another organisation to take over the dry side of the centre failed.

The pool at the leisure centre, which first opened in 1974, had already closed for the final time on February 1 2018.

Now the council has applied for planning permission from itself to knock down the empty building.

The application says: “It is anticipated that the works will take circa 18 weeks commencing in September 2023 and completion being December 2023/January 2024.

“Hours of site work will be restricted to there being no site operations on any Sunday or Bank Holidays nor any other day except between the following times: Monday to Friday 08:00 – 17:00 hours and Saturday 09:00 – 13:00 hours.

“The site access point will be via Shadsworth Road onto existing access roads/hardstanding areas.

“Site access gate to be kept shut at all times and manned by banksman when it is in-use.

“Herras fencing will be installed as indicated on plan to create a site demolition area.

“All HGV loading/unloading will take place within the site.

“No HGVs will be allowed to park outside site or queue on the approaching roads.

“Drivers will be instructed to call ahead to inform the site of their approach so that the banksman will be ready to guide the vehicle onto the site.”

Blackburn South-East ward’s Cllr Tony Humphrys said: “This is very sad but inevitable.

“The leisure centre was built for the people of Shadsworth and Guide and it breaks my heart that it is finally being knocked down.

“We did out best to save it and managed it for a couple of years.

“We marched down to the town hall in a last ditch bid to keep it open.

“It was going to cost more than £100,000 to refurbish the pool and once that had closed it was inevitable the rest of the centre would shut too.

“It was linked to a nearby school which closed and that made a difference to the centre’s foot fall.

“People started wanting to go to the new Blackburn Blackburn Sports and Leisure Centre in town.

“We did all we could to keep it.”

When the Shadsworth Centre, which had two storeys, closed council bosses said it would have cost more than £141,000 to run this year while bringing in just £19,000.

In 2018 Blackburn with Darwen Council leisure boss Cllr Damian Talbot said: “Since the pool closed, the usage of the sports hall, squash courts and gym has declined significantly in recent months.

“Weekly income from casual use is circa £150 and with income from block bookings, the total annual income is projected to be £19,000.”