£14.4m refurbishment planned for The Dome

If approved, the £14.4m project will transform The Lagoons at The Dome as well as its entrance area.

A series of mechanical and building updates will also take place across the site.

The Lagoons will be closed for up to 12 months for the works to take place, however the centre’s other services will remain open.

The Dome opened in 1989, at the time being one of the largest leisure facilities in Europe.

In 2023, the building was one of 227 across the country to be granted Grade II Listed status by Historic England.

It is the largest contributor of revenue for Doncaster’s Culture and Leisure Trust (DCLT), providing subsidy to maintain the operation of other leisure centres across the borough.

DCLT spends around £2.7m delivering services across Doncaster, a figure which would be “significantly reduced” without The Dome’s contributions.

In 2023/24, The Lagoons alone are projected to generate around £944k.

If the refurbishment is approved, the council’s Service Transformation Fund will provide £1.1m to provide support while the area is closed.

The council stated that refurbishment will demonstrate The Dome’s contribution as a “catalyst for regeneration, servicing generations of Doncaster residents.”

Cabinet will vote whether to approve the plans next week, alongside acceptance of a £1.2m grant from Sports England to support ongoing refurbishment works at Thorne Leisure Centre.

A final decision will then be made by full council on Monday, 26 February.