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New Perth leisure pool – with flumes – in latest £74m PH2O plan for Thimblerow

The Crieff and Kinross pools are also in line for upgrades, as part of the plans, which sparked backlash last year due to a lack of leisure facilities.

By Morag Lindsay

June 11 2025, 5:08pm

Courier readers have plenty to say about Perth's PH2O leisure centre plans. Image: Shutterstock

A leisure pool – with indoor flumes – has been added to the design for Perth’s new PH2O centre.

The £74 million plan for the controversial Thimblerow leisure development will be put to councillors next week.

It is part of a package intended to finally kickstart the long-delayed PH2O leisure centre.

If approved, the existing Perth Leisure Pool would be demolished.

This would allow the charity Capability Scotland to relocate its Upper Springland homes and services for people with complex and severe needs to the site off Glover Street.

Perth Leisure Poo exterior — Capability Scotland wants to house 60 residents on the existing Perth Leisure Pool site. Image: Richard Wilkins

The new proposal also includes a £13.2m investment in the public swimming baths in Crieff and Kinross.

And another £10m would be spent on turning Bell’s Sports Centre into an unheated multi-use venue and removing RAAC and asbestos from the building.

Councillors will be asked to vote on the package when the full council meets on Wednesday.

A protest is planned for outside the council chambers in Perth ahead of the session.

But council leader Grant Laing will urge colleagues to back the plan, saying every delay to PH2O is costing taxpayers more money.

Grant Laing portrait with trees and greenery behind — Council leader Grant Laing says the impact of the new pool package will be felt far beyond Perth. Image: Kim Cessford/DC Thomson

“This isn’t just about Perth city centre,” he said.

“It’s about delivering for communities right across Perth and Kinross.”

Additional pool could boost visits to Perth leisure centre

Councillors approved a new PH2O leisure centre at Thimblerow, off the old High Street, last year.

But there was anger at the lack of provision for leisure swimming in the £61m plan.

Officers were asked to go back to the drawing board and look at ways to include it in the mix.

And two revised designs for the three-storey venue will be put to the vote on Wednesday.

Drawings showing small square leisure swimming area in old plan and much larger space below — The space set aside for leisure swimming in the old plan, compared to the new one below. Image: Perth and Kinross Council

Councillors will be advised to opt for the more costly one, containing a larger “fun leisure water” area with internal flumes up to 5.5 metres.

The £74m package also includes:

• A 25m, eight-lane swimming pool with movable floor

• A 12.5m x 8.5m teaching pool

• Holiday and weekend inflatables in the main pool

• An indoor play area (featuring clip n’ climb/soft play or other family play activity)

• A six-court games hall

• Fitness gym

• Flexible studio space

• Cafe

Drawing showing flumes curling around building — The PH2O flumes would all be inside the building. Image: Perth and Kinross Council

Officers predict this mix could attract 439,491 visits a year, compared to 380,143 without the leisure water and flumes.

The budget originally set aside for PH2O amounts to £90m.

Councillors will be told that will cover this plan, plus the bulk of the additional investment in Bell’s and the pools at Kinross and the Strathearn campus in Crieff.

Pool move offers fresh hope for city disability service

Protesters have called for the new PH2O leisure centre to be built on the site of the existing Perth Leisure Pool at Glover Street instead.

But the council says building at Thimblerow will encourage families into Perth city centre, boosting shops and businesses there.

Thimblerow car park and sign — The PH2O pool and leisure facilities are planned for the site of the Thimblerow car park in Perth. Image: Kim Cessford/DC Thomson

It would also allow the existing leisure pool to stay open until the new one is ready.

And demolishing the old pool will free up the land at Glover Street for a mix of housing.

Capability Scotland approached Perth and Kinross Council after the new plans emerged.

Its supported accommodation at Upper Springland is at high risk of flooding and is showing its age.

The charity had been considering a move to Bertha Park.

Capability Scotland buildings at Upper Springland, Perth — Capability Scotland needs to move its Perth service from Upper Springland. Image: Capability Scotland.

But that plan has proved too costly.

And it now wants to partner with the council and bring 60 new homes for adults with complex and severe needs, plus 230 staff, to Glover Street instead.

Supporters say the site offers many benefits, including its convenience for public transport, medical appointments, shops and other attractions.

Protest planned outside council HQ

The PH2O plans have been on the drawing board since 2014.

They were mothballed in 2023 due to soaring costs, before the Thimblerow option emerged last year.

Councillors will have to weigh up whether there’s enough in the new deal to satisfy campaigners, who have been demanding the council retain the existing leisure pool, reopen Bell’s as it was, and keep Thimblerow as a car park.

The Courier has been campaigning for an ambitious new leisure complex in Perth that caters for all sports, including leisure swimming and curling.

Talks are ongoing, which could lead to local curlers taking over the running of the Dewars Centre next door to the existing Perth Leisure Pool.