Yoga with Emma
The Charitable Trust which runs Arundel Lido is now well embarked on Project LEAP (the Lido Extended Activities Plan).
This Project is geared to the provision of additional facilities on the Lido site. These facilities will allow the site to be kept open all-year-round and will provide extra recreational, educational and leisure opportunities for local people.
Project LEAP was launched in September 2015.
Its primary objectives are to provide additional recreational and leisure facilities for the people of Arundel and its nearby Downland villages and to make better, all-year-round, use of the Lido site. The new facilities will also be a major new attraction for tourists and visitors to Arundel.
Project LEAP addresses the strategic objectives of our local councils, as the development of the site and improved leisure facilities are important features in Arun District Council’s Leisure Strategy and Arundel Town Council’s Neighbourhood Plan. It will also establish significantly improved leisure facilities in the South Downs National Park.
The Project involves the construction of a new building which will form a Wellbeing Hub, comprising:
- A 26-station Gym
- A Multi-purpose Community Hall
- An Indoor Café
- Heated Changing Rooms (with showers, toilets and lockers)
This will allow the site to be used all-year-round and (given the Heated Changing Rooms) will allow the Summer Swim Season to be extended by at least two months.
Following public consultations and, an Outline Business Case (in March 2016), we paid three Architects to undertake Design Feasibility Studies. We selected our “Preferred Architect” (in June 2016), but then had to raise the estimated cost (up to Planning) of £100,000 before we could commission him.
By March 2017, with the help of grants from our LEP (Coast-to-Capital), Arun District Council and Arundel Town Council, we had sufficient funding to commission our chosen Architect (Adam Richards) and start upon detailed design of the new building.
Crucially, the Trustees of Arundel Castle declared that they not only supported the Project, but “firmly supported” the design of the new building. Thereupon, the Duke and Duchess of Norfolk became Project Patrons.
Our Planning Application was submitted to the South Downs National Park Authority in December 2017 and formally approved on 15th June 2018.
It is estimated (on the basis of our Quantity Surveyor’s Report) that the construction of the new building will cost some £2.75 million.
Our aim is to raise the necessary funding by mid-2019 and to open the new facilities in 2020.
We have taken on a professional fundraiser as an adviser.
The Trust will be looking for grants to fund the Build Stage of the Project – and has already identified a number of potential funders.
BUT, if you can help, please do let us know.
For more information (or to get involved in the project), please contact:
Arundel Lido
Queen Street
Arundel
BN18 9JG
Tel. No. 01903 884772
Email: Trustees@arundel-lido.com
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