Bransbury Park

The following chart shows that the majority of respondents agree with building a new sport and leisure centre at Bransbury Park (63% agree/ strongly agree).

• Money set aside for essential maintenance at Eastney Swimming Pool and Wimbledon Park Sports Centre would not cover any enhancements to encourage new customers or allow for improvements to accessibility so one option being considered is to put the money towards a new facility at Bransbury Park. This would replace the two other centres by offering what they currently do and more.
• The largest proportion of respondents strongly agree with this proposal (41%), with a further 22% selecting ‘agree’ (63% net). Just over a fifth of respondents strongly disagree or disagree with the idea (22% net), and 14% are neutral.

The following chart shows that the largest proportion of respondents who ‘strongly agree’ with building a new centre live in the PO4 postcode district (49%) and the largest proportion of respondents who strongly disagree live in PO5 (23%). The chart also shows that respondents with a disability were less likely to agree/ strongly agree with the proposal (57%) compared to those without a disability (66%).

• The largest proportion of respondents who ‘strongly agree’ with building a new centre at Bransbury Park live in the PO4 postcode district (49%). However, when considering the total sum of respondents who agree and strongly agree, the proposal is slightly more popular amongst those who live in the PO3 postcode district (north east Portsmouth – 71%).
• The largest proportion of respondents who disagree/ strongly disagree with the proposal live in the PO5 postcode district (31%).
• Respondents with a disability were less likely to agree/ strongly agree with the proposal (57%) compared to those without a disability (66%).

The following table shows that wanting to use the money to upgrade current sport and leisure facilities is the main reason why respondents disagree with building a new centre at Bransbury Park (33%).

• Base: 332 (showing themes mentioned by at least 10 respondents)
• Spending the money on upgrading current sport and leisure facilities in the city was the most popular theme that emerged (33%).
• Specifically, many oppose closing Eastney Swimming Pool and Wimbledon Park Sports Centre (27%), highlighting a need for the two facilities to stay in their locations. If the facilities were moved, users would have to travel further as the current two centres are in better locations that are convenient and local (26%).
• Other themes included wanting to keep what is at Bransbury Park already (17%), concern around parking issues (15%), traffic (9%) and environmental impact (4%).

Some of our residents have said:

“Because you are removing facilities for local residents. Improve what you have, rather than building new on a green field site, in a completely different part of the city.”

“I think Bransbury Park is great as it is – decent outdoor sports courts, a well used community centre and cafe and great green open space. Limiting access to all these facilities, while a new facility is built would be very disruptive. Find an alternative site, or invest in better provision at Pyramids and Eastney. Also parking expansion will be needed and that will be very tricky.”

“Will cause more traffic and parking problems in the area. The facilities already there are enough. Will lead to further pollution of the area.”

The following table shows suggestions of other locations in Portsmouth for a new sport and leisure centre. Keeping the current locations of Eastney, Wimbledon Park and the Pyramid site was most popular (59% net).

• Base: 256
• The most popular suggestion was to keep sport facilities in their current locations, including Eastney Pool and Wimbledon Park Sports Centre (30%), and the Pyramids site (29%).
• 10% of respondents suggested building a centre in the East of the island, such as in Copnor, Milton, Fratton, etc. and suggestions to locate a centre in Southsea were equally as popular (10%).
• Other suggestions included locations north of Portsea Island (9%), in Eastney (8%), the city centre (5%), at the old Victoria Pool site (4%) and in the north-west (3%).

Some of our residents have said:

“Use the existing site at Eastney to add some facilities, there is space to the side of Eastney pool in particular to extend and increase facilities. Use the existing site at Wimbledon park to improve and add facilities.”

“The pyramids site. It’s on the seafront/common, so plenty of things to do before/after, especially important for kids. Plenty of parking. Not in a residential neighbourhood. No damage to Bransbury Park.”

“Pyramids is a good location already. Wimbledon park could be excellent and more popular with small changes to the organisation and membership arrangements. No need for new locations for centres.”

The following chart shows that respondents think good quality changing rooms (84%) and good accessibility (ease of access for disabled people and people with limited mobility) (80%) are most important for a new swimming pool at Bransbury Park to have.

The following chart shows that respondents think being able to walk or cycle to the new centre (83%) is most important in terms of its location.

• Over half of the survey respondents ranked good quality changing rooms (57%) and accessibility (52%) as ‘very important’ for a new swimming pool to have.
• High proportions of respondents also ranked children’s swimming lessons (76%), recreational swimming (73%), and family-friendly facilities (70%) as important/ very important.
• In terms of location, the majority of respondents ranked being able to walk or cycle to the centre very important (54%), followed by parking (47%) and public transport links (45%).
• Being near local shops or the seafront were deemed least important (44% and 43% respectively ranked these options unimportant/ very unimportant).

The following chart shows that respondents think good quality changing rooms are most important for a new gym to have (78%).

The following chart shows that in terms of other aspects of a new centre, respondents think accessibility (ease of access for disabled people and people with limited mobility) is most important (84%).

• Good quality changing rooms for a gym were ranked ‘very important’ by almost half of respondents (47%), with 31% also ranking it ‘important’ (78% net).
• In terms of other aspects of a centre at Bransbury Park, accessibility (ease of access for disabled people and people with limited mobility) was ranked most important overall (84% important/ very important).
• A further three quarters of respondents ranked having an environmentally friendly building (e.g. a carbon neutral design) important/ very important (75%).

If you have any further suggestions of things that are important to consider in relation to a new swimming pool, sports facilities and community space at Bransbury Park, please share them with us below.

Base: 625 (showing themes mentioned by at least 10 respondents)

The following figure shows a Word cloud of the most popular themes from further suggestions of things that are important to consider in relation to a new swimming pool, sports facility and community space at Bransbury Park. More parking and keeping the green outdoor space were most popular.

• The main theme that emerged was the need for more parking at Bransbury Park if a new centre is built; it should be free and have no impact on resident’s parking.
• The need to minimise the impact of increased traffic to the area was also mentioned, as well as further calls to keep the green space at Bransbury Park.
• Some popular specific suggestions of what the swimming pool at Bransbury Park should be like emerged including it being long (25 meters), deep, warm, private, and offer swimming classes and a fun pool for families/ children. Respondents also want badminton facilities, gym classes, and for a new centre to be affordable.

Some of our residents have said:

“It would be a shame if the new facilities created congestion/traffic, pollution and parking problems for residents. Equally taking up green space for car parking would be unacceptable.”

“If the council is going to make an investment it should do the whole lot. A gym with classes, a pool which is of at least 20m with lane swimming, lessons and classes, but that is more accessible than the Mountbatten centre.”

“The pool should be both a fun pool and a swimming pool not one or the other. It should have a wave machine and offer a range of pools. I would not also wish to see a lot of the green site taken up for car parking.”

Return to the Sport and leisure future plans page