Poollecks cause delays in the first passive house -leisure center in Scotland

The construction of the most modern, energy -efficient center began in June 2023 and was to be opened at the beginning of this year. The project carried out for Perth & Kinross Council replaces the aging 40-year leisure facility in the city. The new building was developed to meet strict passive house standards and promises energy consumption significantly and improved environmental quality for both the community and for school use.

The new center has a six-lane 25-meter pool, a four-way sports hall, a gymnasium, fitness suite, dance studio, PE classroom, various changing areas, offices and a synthetic flood-tone height.

However, the opening was postponed after a leak was discovered around the movable soil equipment in the pool. After the first repairs, further tests identified a second minor leader and prompted the contractors to empty the pool for a comprehensive check of all fastenings and seals. The repairs are not completed without being confirmed.

The Perth & Kinross Council has confirmed that there were no additional public costs due to the delays, and the council will only accept the handover of the building if all defects have been solved.

The council member of the council member, Grant Laing, has requested a formal review of the delays. In a letter to the council member Colin Stewart, convener of the Council's chief and performance committee, Laing emphasized the importance of learning from the technical questions to prevent similar events in future builds.

“We are all looking forward to the opening of Blairgowrie Recreation Center,” he said. “However, it is extremely frustrating that we had to push the opening date back again and again while the contractors solve these problems with the pool.”

Stephen Crawford, strategic advantage for real estate services in the council, repeated the feeling: “The Blairgowrie Recreation Center is an extremely important facility for our residents in East Perthshire, and we want the building to be in a perfect condition before it is opened.”

Paul Carle, Bam UK and Ireland's building director, confirmed the delays and apologized for the disorder. “The pool is a complex design, and we worked with specialists to deliver it,” he said. “Unfortunately there were technical problems and it is true that we take the time to correct them before it is accessible to the public.”

He added: “We fully concentrate on completing the necessary repairs as early as possible.”

In the meantime, the existing Blairgowrie Recreation Center remains in operation and serves as an event location for upcoming SQA exams.