North Yorkshire Council has revealed it’s pumped almost 3,000 tonnes of grout into a void underneath Ripon Leisure Centre with the ground stabilisation works that began last summer costing £3.4m to date.
Ripon’s Jack Laugher Leisure and Wellness Centre opened in March 2022 but whilst the pool is in use, plans for a gym at the existing leisure centre on the same site were delayed after an underground void was discovered.
This prompted an investigation by engineering firm Stantec which found evidence of multiple voids and “significantly weak” areas of ground beneath the older half of the leisure centre that was built in 1995.
It warned that not carrying out remedial repairs would be “unacceptable from a public safety perspective”.
Ripon is susceptible to voids and sinkholes because it lies on a layer of water-soluble rock called gypsum.
North Yorkshire Council began works to stabilise the ground last summer by pumping it with grout.
A council spokesperson said that as of this month, 2,810 tonnes of grout has been used during the works, costing £3.4m.
They were unable to say exactly when the work will finish, only that it would be later this year.
It means a temporary gym costing £300,000 that was erected in the leisure centre’s car park last year will remain open, despite the council previously insisting it would be removed by March 2024.
Retired chartered engineer Stanley Mackintosh campaigned against the site being used for the leisure centre due to the gypsum issues.
Mr Mackintosh told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that the ground stabilisation works has become a literal example of a “sunk cost fallacy” for the council.
He said he also has concerns about its environmental impact.
He said:
“The works are essentially ineffective and structurally dangerous, but I’m also concerned about the related release of thousands of tonnes of CO2 into our atmosphere during that process.”
The topic of the leisure centre was raised at a recent mayoral hustings event held by Zero Carbon Harrogate.
Independent candidate Keith Tordoff described the works as resulting from “gross incompetence” by leaders at the now defunct Harrogate Borough Council, which chose the site, and North Yorkshire Council.
He said:
“They knew about the sinkholes around Ripon and were advised about it. It’s a disaster and typical of the council. They are pumping our money into it.”
North Yorkshire Council’s assistant director for property, Kerry Metcalfe said:
“The ground stabilisation work underway involves pumping grout into voids under the ground.
"These works are expected to be completed later this year and are necessary to make the Leisure Centre building safe so that it can be refurbished and re-opened for public use.
"The cost for this work so far is £3.4m. Refurbishment work to the Leisure Centre was paused when the need for ground remediation work was identified and will therefore be finished after completion of the ground stabilisation works.
“The nature of the work is complex and is under constant review, reopening dates will be announced when they are confirmed.”
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