Why was the decision made not to include a sauna and steam room?
The following statement was shared in full at Hartlepool Borough Council’s Council meeting on 20th February 2025, in response to a petition raised on the matter and a discussion held within the meeting itself.
No further consideration will therefore be given to reversing previous decisions regarding the provision of a sauna/steamroom at the facility.
Why wasn’t the sauna/steam room re-opened following Covid?
Facilities were reopened cautiously post-Covid, particularly those with very little or no mechanical ventilation; where physical contact was significant and where disease transmission was most likely (all of which apply to a sauna and steam room).
The sauna, steam room, rest area and associated toilets were in a very poor condition prior to Covid and did not meet basic quality standards, resulting in repeated, regular and justified complaints about the facilities.
In the four years leading up to Covid the facilities generated approximately £4k per year in income, however the associated operational and maintenance costs far exceeded the income (as an example, in 2019 alone we spent nearly £5k on repairs). It was estimated that bringing the areas up to an acceptable standard would cost over £40k and capital funding was not available to support this, particularly given the development of Highlight and the limited life of Mill House Leisure Centre as a result.
Why weren’t (Active Hartlepool) members consulted or surveyed about the new development?
Residents across Hartlepool and users of Mill House Leisure Centre and other Council venues were consulted on future leisure provision on a number of occasions.
Active Hartlepool conduct annual surveys of users and non–users and the 7 surveys conducted between 2020 and 2024 collected 870 responses which included 22 comments in favour of having a steam room and sauna. Throughout the surveys people were asked what the top 5 considerations were when looking for a facility and “to use and steam room/sauna” did not feature in the top 5 reasons given.
As part of the planning for Highlight there has been extensive analysis and research of information and community responses. In 2019 a piece of work on ‘Future of Leisure Facilities in Hartlepool’ looked at how and why people use leisure facilities; what they would like to see in new facilities and where new facilities should be located. The consultation was online and in person, including face-to-face opportunities at Mill House Leisure Centre. 1,001 people completed the survey and a sauna or steam room ranked 20th out of 23 options in importance for facilities to be provided. Of 451 written comments in response to questions, there were no references to demand for a sauna or steam room from respondents.
In 2020 Sport England’s Strategic Outcomes Planning Model was used to identify current and future participation and demand, to help inform the facility mix for the new strategic leisure facility. It included an online community survey which generated 607 responses and, although there was no specific question which asked respondents to list the facilities that they would like to see, there were no references to sauna or steam room facilities in response to any of the questions asked. Customers at Mill House Leisure Centre and other leisure and sport sites were actively encouraged to participate in the respective surveys.
Why wasn’t a sauna/steam incorporated in Highlight?
Sport and leisure facility planning must consider current and future demand to ensure that whatever is developed can secure capital investment and is sustainable.
The Strategic Outcomes Planning Model in 2020/21 identified the community need and demand; how outcomes could be delivered sustainably and the proposed facility mix for Highlight, Brierton and Headland Sports Hall.
The facility mix for Highlight was based on the Strategic Outcomes Planning Model and Sport England’s strategy and funding priorities and took into account making best use of the space available, capital costs and operating costs, which resulted in a focus on:
- Optimising opportunities for people to become more active, more often
- Young families and intergenerational activity
- Facilities which reflected demand (including aquatics; gym; fitness; wellbeing; children’s play and access to the marina/watersports)
- Facilities and services that could generate income to support the operation of the building (i.e. NHS leased consultation suites; commercial café operator)
- Being as energy efficient and “green” as possible.
The funding model for Highlight includes contributions from Sport England and Tees Valley Combined Authority. The investment that has been secured is subject to grant and business case conditions and a steam room and sauna would not fulfil these requirements because the evidence base does not support this.
Furthermore, based on revenue projections and the evidence base, the option to include a sauna or steam room was discounted on the grounds of limited demand; significant operational costs and the likely requirement for significant maintenance and investment to maintain service quality.
Summary
In summary there has been extensive community engagement, analysis of evidence base and analysis of financial implications extending back to 2018.
It was not viable to include a sauna or steam room in Highlight without a stronger evidence base and doing so would have been to the detriment of other facilities with a far stronger case for inclusion, either due to commercial viability, contribution to socio-economic outcomes or providing access to facilities with a wider population level demand.
To include a facility at this stage in the project would cost hundreds of thousands of pounds, as a minimum, and would result in extensive time delays as well as significant risk to the completion of the overall scheme, meeting grant obligations and fulfilling our contracts.