Splashing the cash on Commonwealth Pool

THE cost of refurbishing the Royal Commonwealth Pool has shot up by £7 million in less than two years, it emerged today.

The planned overhaul is now estimated to cost £36m and officials have warned it will rise again unless work starts next year.

The rising cost means the project faces a £9m funding black hole unless Meadowbank Stadium is sold off for housing, or the Scottish Executive bails the city out by covering the shortfall.

The overhaul of the pool is a key part of Glasgow's bid for the 2014 Commonwealth Games, with diving events planned to take place in Edinburgh.

The main reason for the price increase has been put down to rampant inflation in the cost of construction projects, something that is being felt across the UK.

The growing funding problems for the project - which would feature an Olympic-standard 50-metre pool and diving arena as well as a new "fun pool" - were revealed in a council report published today.

Councillors are expected to be asked later this month to press ahead with selling the majority of the Meadowbank site, in order to fund the revamp and the building of a new athletics and rugby arena on Sighthill Park.

The problems affecting the pool project risk having a knock-on effect on the Sighthill scheme, as less money would be available.

Today, council leader Jenny Dawe said: "The new report highlights the scale of the funding gap that the council would face if we didn't go ahead with the sell-off of Meadowbank. It's another major factor we'll have to consider over the next few weeks, along with the findings of the Meadowbank working group, once they are finalised.

"We will also have to consider the views of people in the Sighthill area, and the current problems surrounding Edinburgh Rugby, who have expressed an interest in using the new arena."

The council currently has only £27m pledged for rebuilding the ageing pool complex. Cash has been pledged by the Scottish Executive and sportscotland, on top of funds from the sale of Leith Waterworld and the current home of Spartans FC.

The new Lib Dem-SNP coalition running the council has made the RCP revamp a top priority, but is also wrestling with the dilemma of whether to press ahead with the sell-off of Meadowbank.

The planned refurbishment of the RCP is currently scheduled to start next autumn and is due for completion in 2010. The site is earmarked to be used as an official training camp for both the London Olympics in 2012 and the potential Glasgow games.

Cllr Dawe added: "We are currently going though a process which is looking at ways of addressing the funding gap in the RCP project. At this stage, options for meeting increased costs could include a request for additional funding from sportscotland or the Scottish Executive."

Council officials are recommending the commissioning of an urgent report on how to meet the potential funding shortfall.

However, council insiders warn that unless the Scottish Executive steps in with several million pounds, options for the local authority will be limited without selling Meadowbank.

The only other realistic option is said to be dramatically scaling back the plans, or shelving the work.

The council has been allocated £4m from sportscotland for the RCP and £7m for the proposed £53m scheme at Sighthill Park.