Council gives update as consultation closes on £12m leisure hub plans

East Riding of Yorkshire Council has given an update on proposals for the £12m Goole Hub following the closure of the public consultation.

It said more than 500 responses were received and all have been considered.

In response to comments received, the Goole Museum is to stay in its current location in Carlisle Street, and it is hoped that the Sports Hall in the new Goole Hub will be retained as it is now.
Residents of Goole and the surrounding area were invited to have their say on a £12m project which would transform East Riding Leisure Goole into the Goole Hub, offering a wider variety of services.

The proposals, which will be part-funded by the Goole Town Deal, will see the current leisure centre extended and re-modelled to include new leisure activities, as well as incorporating a new community hub which will include a library and customer service centre.

Other proposed leisure activities included in the consultation were :
10-pin bowling
adventure soft play areas
Tag Active immersive social and active leisure experience
a new learner pool
food court.

Cllr Anne Handley, deputy leader of the council, said: “I would like to thank everybody who has responded to the consultation, and assure all respondents that every single response has been considered. A wide range of views was expressed, and firstly, I am very happy to reassure all those who were concerned about the future of Goole Museum that it will indeed be staying as it is, and where it is.

“We have also received many comments about the proposals for the relocated Goole Library, and I would like to stress that we are going to amend our proposals to ensure that the new library will include additional space, as compared to the original plans.

“The new library will also operate on the Open Plus system, which we have already successfully introduced elsewhere in the East Riding, extending library access times beyond current opening hours.

“Relocating the library to the same building as other council facilities is an investment in its future, saving public money, whilst maintaining and improving the service. All current library activities can transfer across to the new site, and new ones will be added in larger spaces being made available to library users, whilst we can also create a Reading Café, a concept which has proven hugely popular elsewhere.”

The new location will offer improved parking for library customers.

Cllr Handley added: “We acknowledge that the closure period for the leisure centre during construction will cause inconvenience, and we apologise for this, but it is essential in order to provide the improved facilities. We will work hard with all the clubs and organisations which currently use East Riding Leisure Goole to provide the best alternative arrangements that we can during the closure. The new Hub will accommodate the majority of current activities after it opens, particularly because options are being considered to retain the Sports Hall as it is now.”

The council stressed that it intends to ensure that all the buildings it currently owns in Goole will be given another use, and will not be left empty.

The introduction of ten-pin bowling in the new Goole Hub is part of the overall planned improvements to the town centre as part of the Goole Town Deal. It is hoped that this new activity will appeal to younger residents of the town. It has been included after extensive feedback.

It is also now intended to include a Health Suite in the new hub, which will be designed to improve the health and wellbeing of local residents, and offer a wide range of programmes.

A planning application will be submitted later this year for the Goole Hub.