Nairn Lido redevelompemnt project aims to put town on tourist maps

A £12 million aspirational project to redevelop the Nairn Leisure Centre and create an open-air tidal pool and spa on the foreshore has been unveiled by a charity.

Nairn Community Spa and Lido Company (NCSLC) has ambitions to transform the town into one of the Scotland’s top coastal destinations.

The proposals include the refurbishment of the leisure centre with a state-of-the-art spa including a lagoon pool on the shore added to the existing gym and 25m pool.

NCSLC has already undertaken an economic appraisal which concluded that the project could be a “game changer” for the area generating a turnover of £4 million with a surplus of £900,000 for the benefit of the local community and the creation of 57 jobs.

The charity aims to take the existing leisure centre, which is owned by Highland Council, into community ownership. It is are about to embark on a consultation to gauge what support there would be.

A preliminary application to take over the existing leisure centre via the community asset transfer scheme has been lodged with the council.

Iain Bruce, an architect and a director of NCSLC, said: “This is an aspirational project which would put Nairn right at the top of coastal resorts in Scotland.

“We have already undertaken economic and renewable energy studies with funding from the Nairn Davidson Trust and Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE).

“These forecast potential for 57 jobs, a turnover of around £4 million after four years and generating an annual sustainable surplus of up to £900,000 for the benefit of the local community.”

Mr Bruce is working with fellow directors Professor James Young, a marketing expert at Stirling University, John Hart of Nairn Improvement Community Enterprise and Elaine McPhail, who runs sea cruises, to make a case and garner financial support for the project.

“HIE have been very constructive but we need to get the community to buy into the project before we can take it forward,” Mr Bruce said.

“We have to do the consultation first before we look for funding. HIE are very supportive and we have had discussions with a Dutch-owned international bank, Triodos, who are very interested in what we are doing and watching developments.”

The redesign of the existing leisure centre would include adding renewable energy sources.

A new glazed dome containing photo-voltaic and photo chromatic panels would replace the current roof and re-create the light and shade of the original Nairn Swimming Baths dating back to the 19th century, which was the vision of Dr John Grigor who put Nairn on the tourist map as a spa town.

The spa facility on the foreshore between the high and low water mark would incorporate an unheated sea level pool with open water swimming depending on the state of the tide, a sauna, changing rooms and a bistro.

The promenade would be extended around the outside of the building with new synchro and hydrotherapy pools, scented steam rooms and spa treatment rooms run in conjunction with local firms and a top deck open heated horizon pool.

Mr Bruce added: “We’re confident that the Nairn community will get behind this initiative to have a community-owned charity deliver not only new income streams for Nairn but facilities which will be at the cutting edge of the health and wellbeing culture.

“Despite the community consultation being undertaken against the constraints of Covid-19 restrictions, we are exploiting the power of social media and are confident we will achieve representative participation to enable us to proceed with the process.”

NCSLC is beginning its consultation by launching a website: www.nairnspandlido.com

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