Sport and leisure – future plans

We want your opinions on planned improvements to Hilsea Lido, following our successful bid for £8.75m central government funding. The ambitious “Pool for the People” project will see millions of pounds in Levelling Up Funding for improvements to historic Hilsea Lido swimming pool and surrounding areas.

We are working with Hilsea Lido Pool for the People Trust to reach out to the community with several engagement events, workshops and an online survey to understand what improvements you would like to see.

New funding has provided an opportunity to make Hilsea Lido a space that belongs to the community, promotes health and wellbeing, and is welcome to all.

Please share your thoughts and ideas at research.net/r/HilseaLidoSurvey.

Over 40 comment boxes have been placed around in libraries, shops and pubs, as another way for people to provide feedback.

Our engagement team will be visiting high streets, shopping centres and various community events, as well as engaging with schools and community groups. The following activities have already taken place:

• A pop-up event took place near Cosham Railway Station level crossing in July, where almost 100 shoppers, drivers and residents gave their thoughts on how the funding should be spent.
• Bristol-based play practitioners Play:Disrupt delivered a workshop to the young people of Motiv8 and Portsmouth youth clubs.
• The Lido welcomed 30 students from local secondary schools who explored the existing facility and then created vision boards which they presented to a panel which included GB swimmer Katy Sexton and ex-Pompey football club goalkeeper Alan Knight.
• There have also been nine advertising banners across Portsmouth and 750 posters in the Hilsea ward area.

We’re proposing to bring community, sports and swimming facilities together in one new modern and ecologically-sound hub at Bransbury Park.

The existing Eastney Community Centre will be incorporated into the building to provide a modern flexible ecologically sound community facility and the council are working closely with Eastney Area Community Centre. Initial plans do not involve the loss of any of the existing grassed areas.

Final plans will go through the statutory planning process for a decision to be made.

We are investing in sport and leisure to strengthen our communities and support greener, healthier and happier living.

Past consultation results

We have previously asked for your thoughts on the proposals to make sure they meet the needs of as many people as possible. We have also been talking to groups and organisations who use Eastney Community Centre, Eastney Swimming Pool and Wimbledon Park Sports Centre to help decide the right mix of facilities.

View 2021 consultation results

View Nov/Dec 2020 consultation results

We also held an engagement event at Eastney Community Centre in Spring 2022. The materials shared at this event can be viewed here.

A report was commissioned to assess the suitability of various sites for a new activity hub. You can read that report here.

Eastney Swimming Pool and Wimbledon Park Sports Centre

No decisions have been made on the futures of Eastney Swimming Pool or Wimbledon Park Sport Centre. We will add details of any consultations here.

Portsmouth has been identified as an area that has a shortfall of Artificial Grass Pitches (AGPs) to support the development of youth and adult football in the city.

Future plans for King George V playing fields

We are working with the Hampshire FA on a funding bid to the Premier League, The FA and the Government’s Football Foundation to provide a football hub at King George V playing fields in Cosham. We are applying for funding to add to the £1.2 million which has already been allocated to the scheme.

The scheme would provide a new pavilion with changing facilities, café space and toilets, as well as the AGPs. The two AGPs would be marked up to provide a variety of pitch options, such as:

• 2 full size 100 x 64m pitches
• 4 9v9 pitches
• 6 7v7 pitches
• 12 5v5 pitches

Having a range of smaller pitches will help meet the needs of youth football matches and training and would enable more children to take part in the sport. There will still be plenty of grass football pitches available in the rest of the playing fields and we are considering what other improvements we could make, such as additional bins or seating.

We previously held an engagement event at Cosham Library and also had a survey for people to give their views. The results can be viewed here.

The planning application for the project has now been approved.

The redevelopment of The Pyramids Centre is now complete with the opening of:

• Exploria! – adventure play and trampoline facility. Find out more and book here.
• New gym – which has had a major expansion.

We hope more residents and visitors of all ages will use the Pyramids to get active and have fun, and help to secure its future for a few more years before we consult on what will eventually replace it, as explained in the Seafront Masterplan.

Find out the latest sport and leisure news by signing up for the e-bulletin here.