A HISTORIC swimming pool is set to be demolished in place of a water sports facility.
The location was seen over a century of British , providing a training ground for heroes.
Eastney Swimming Pool in Southsea, closed its doors in 2020 during the and has never re-opened.
Portsmouth City Council described the building, which first opened in 1904, as outdated and in a dangerous condition, citing structural issues with the walls and roof.
Plans were officially approved earlier this year to demolish the historic structure.
A £23.4 million project at nearby Bransbury Park will see a new leisure centre facility replace the former pool, featuring a pool, gym, and GP surgery.
However, the fate of the Eastney Swimming Pool site remains less certain.
Insider Media reported that the demolition could potentially make way for a new water sports centre.
The hub would include facilities for kite-boarding, kayaking, and paddle-boarding.
And of course, kayaking is deeply rooted within the site’s history, as the Cockleshell Heroes are reported to have trained there.
The iconic mission saw 13 Royal Marines attempt to paddle in kayaks to blow up German ships in the occupied part of Bordeaux in 1942.
These men are believed to have trained for the stealthy mission in part at the former pool.
Only two of the marine survived the partially successful raid.
Historic England declined to support listing the pool as a protected structure over its association with the mission.
Portsmouth City Council has allocated £100,000 for the historic pool’s demolition.
The pool was also one of the first venues to host underwater hockey – octopush – matches.
A new water sports venue on the site could provide a centrepiece for Portsmouth’s Seafront Master Plan, most recently updated in 2021.
The plans for the water sports hub include facilities like changing rooms, storage, and showers.
“It has been an ambition of the council to provide a facility like this for many years, so it’s great news that we can start to move forward on this project,”;; said Councillor Steve Pitt, leader of Portsmouth Council.
“We have a real opportunity to create something that enhances this very unique environment, so we need to make sure we get this right.
“This is why we are consulting early, so we can get a clear understanding of what sports should be provided for and what other facilities should be provided in any new centre.”;;
One of the is set for a multi-million pound renovation.
And an abandoned Victorian church that was turned into one of the .
