We're exploring options to build new sustainable health, swim, fitness and community facilities, to promote active lifestyles and wellbeing
During the first half of 2025, we completed initial feasibility work exploring opportunities for investing in and improving leisure facilities, as part of boosting local health and wellbeing.
This work provided more detail on two options:
- Build a new, modern swimming pool at Lynnsport, or an alternative town centre location, to replace St James’ Swimming Pool
- Build a new, modern Oasis Leisure Centre, at or near Hunstanton seafront
After careful consideration, Full Council agreed on 31 July 2025 to the further design, survey and financial work needed to produce a business case for a major upgrade of Lynnsport, incorporating a brand new swimming pool to replace St James.
This technical work took place during summer and autumn 2025, alongside extensive community engagement with a wide range of people and groups to consider an initial proposal for a wholesale redevelopment of Lynnsport to include a new pool.
After considering the community’s feedback and financial advice, we are looking again at how we could potentially reshape the plans to focus more strongly around people’s priorities and still deliver the key benefits for communities, though at better value.
The project team is now exploring the feasibility of building at Lynnsport a new stand-alone eight-lane, 25m pool with learner pool and splash pad, plus potentially other new facilities like padel tennis courts. Alongside this, we would continue investing in maintaining and modernising the existing Lynnsport facilities, though on a phased basis to spread the cost and reduce disruption.
Read the update from December 2025
No decisions have been made. It will be for Full Council to make an informed decision on the best way forward for the borough, once this additional feasibility work is completed.
Why do we need this investment?
We are working to increase physical activity levels in the borough, which are lower than the national average. As part of boosting local health and wellbeing, we are exploring opportunities for investing in and improving leisure facilities.
St James Swimming Pool, opened in 1975, is coming to the end of its economic life and is increasingly expensive to run, with high energy costs and carbon emissions due to age and inefficient design. It would need significant investment to keep it running in the coming years.
Lynnsport is 34 years old and requires capital investment to modernise and upgrade its facilities.
Where is the new pool proposed to be located in King’s Lynn and why?
The feasibility study undertaken during the previous project development stage concluded that there were no suitable alternative sites for a swimming pool/leisure facility in King’s Lynn town centre and that relocating St James Swimming Pool to Lynnsport provided the most viable option. Opting to carry out a significant upgrade of St James Swimming Pool has also been discounted as it would lead to the closure of St James for a long period of time, leaving King’s Lynn without a swimming pool.
What is happening with investing in the Oasis?
The proposed facility development at Oasis will be considered as part of the comprehensive Hunstanton Master Plan that will be progressing to Cabinet in 2026. The recommendation is that the leisure centre should be considered as part of this, so it becomes an integral part of a wider, more ambitious plan to revitalise the town, and compliments those exciting developments when they are agreed. This plan will also take into consideration findings from a report on the structural integrity and suitability of the promenade and current flood defences. This approach enables a more collaborative and comprehensive planning process and avoids premature commitment of public funds. In the meantime, we will continue with the planned maintenance programme at the Oasis.
When will there be public consultation on the proposed upgrade to Lynnsport? When do we get to give our thoughts and opinions on the proposed development?
We are committed to seek the views of local people and key user groups as part of project development. An initial community survey was completed in July/August 2024 to explore what children and adults wanted to see from the borough council physical activity and leisure services that helped shape the proposals. Significant engagement with stakeholders and the community took place in August/September 2025 around an initial proposal to undertake a wholesale redevelopment of Lynnsport. People’s feedback has instigated further feasibility work, looking into the potential of reshaping plans to focus more strongly around people’s priorities and still deliver the key benefits for our communities, though at better value.
What criteria was used to assess possible locations for a new pool?
The following criteria was assessed:
- Whether the site would accommodate a small, medium or large pool
- Parking provision on-site or nearby
- If the location was suitable for service/deliver access
- The potential for delivery at pace and the likelihood of an approved planning application
- Council ownership of land/council control/lease arrangement was also considered
Will Lynnsport be renamed and what will happen to the St James site?
There are no immediate plans to rename Lynnsport. The existing site for St James Swimming Pool is a council asset and is one of six priority locations identified for regeneration within the emerging King’s Lynn Masterplan. No decisions have been made.
Why not invest in Downham Market too?
The pool at Downham Market Sports Centre opened in 1993. While it will need future investment, it is operating well with no significant issues at the present time. St James Swimming Pool, opened in 1975, and Oasis Leisure Centre, opened in 1984, are the borough’s oldest leisure facilities. An initial assessment undertaken by us has concluded they are at the end of their economic lives and increasingly expensive to run. Both have high energy costs and carbon emissions due to their age and inefficient design, and will require significant investment to keep them running in the coming years. Downham Market is not currently a pressing priority compared to St James’ and the Oasis.