Disused council leisure centre to be offered for lease

Ted Peskett, local democracy reporter

A council leisure centre, which was used as a vaccination centre during the Covid pandemic, is to be offered for lease.

Vale of Glamorgan Council cabinet members agreed at a meeting on Thursday, December 19, to allow a five-year lease for the use of Holm View Leisure Centre to go out to tender.

The facility was temporarily used by Cardiff and Vale University Health Board (UHB) as a mass vaccination centre during the Covid-19 pandemic and came back under council control in March 2023.

Community purposes

In a report presented to council cabinet members, the local authority said it wants to present bidders with the opportunity to use the building for community purposes.

Vale of Glamorgan Council cabinet member for leisure, sport and wellbeing, Cllr Gwyn John, said any bids which come forward “should have a positive impact on the community”, while council leader Lis Burnett called the move a “really exciting initiative”.

She added: “I know that an awful lot of people have been talking about the future of Holm View. If this can work it gives us an opportunity to actually try things out.”

The marketing exercise will be carried out in early 2025.

Holm View Leisure Centre will be offered in its current condition with full repairing and maintenance obligations passing to the new tenant.

Vale of Glamorgan Council stands to make a saving through the proposed lease.

A report by the local authority states the leisure service is responsible for a small utilities charge for the vacant building and there is potential for a “significant business rates saving” as the ingoing tenant would be expected to be responsible “for all such costs”.

Future

During the five-year period of the lease, Vale of Glamorgan Council will continue to consider the future of the building.

Cllr John said: “It is very important that this is moved along… because this building has only been used [as a] vaccination centre, [which was] very worthwhile over the last period, but quite honestly, we need to get this building filled and used.”

The land being offered as part of the lease excludes the car park which is shared with the Community Enterprise Centre.