Swimming pool at Butlin's resort in Bognor demolished

The building at Butlin's in Bognor was destroyed on Tuesday, almost two years after a new £40 million complex on the site rendered it redundant.

The new seaside-inspired swimming pool, called Splash, took two years to build, opening in April 2019.

• READ MORE: Butlin's new £40 million swimming pool opens at Bognor

It features a seven-metre tall helter skelter slide, flumes, rapids and a wave machine.

But its introduction spelled the end of the road for its 25-year-old predecessor.

Pictures from the site show the building reduced to rubble.

Pool demolished at Butlin's resort in Bognor Credit: Eddie Mitchell

While this may be a sad sight for the hundreds of families who share fond memories of the pool, there are already plans to replace the building with a new attraction.

A planning application submitted by Walsingham Planning, on behalf of Bourne Leisure, in December last year reveals a proposal to build "temporary buildings to accommodate performance stage and seating for a period of up to three years".

It reads: "While the application site comprises the Butlin's resort at Bognor Regis, for the purposes of this planning application the development site comprises the former swimming pool building and the surrounding hardstanding towards the southwest corner of the site.

"The former swimming pool building already has consent to be demolished as part of a 2017 planning permission to provide a new swimming pool complex towards the east of the site.

Pool demolished at Butlin's resort in Bognor Credit: Eddie Mitchell

"...No buildings on the application site are listed, and the site does not lie in a conservation area."

The application argued that this new performance space is needed as "Butlin’s resorts have been severely impacted by the Covid crisis that unfolded during 2020 with closures of all of their resorts, staff on furlough (with no resort staff facing redundancy for Covid related reasons) and many guests disappointed by the postponement or cancellation of their holidays".

Butlin's sites are currently temporarily closed due to lockdown restrictions.

But the application said that, when resorts had been able to reopen for a short period last summer, they had been forced to do so in a reduced capacity.

Pool demolished at Butlin's resort in Bognor Credit: Eddie Mitchell

The application stated: "Attractions such as the swimming pools and entertainments, together with the restaurants and other activities, all also required social distancing to be maintained.

"The usual capacity of the Bognor Regis resort at 5,500 guests was limited for the reduced 2020 summer season to a maximum 3,200 so that safe social distancing could be ensured throughout the resort.

"But the social distancing of even reduced numbers of guests simply requires additional space for some entertainments and facilities."

An outdoor stage was introduced last summer to allow Butlin's to continue to put on shows, but this was removed in September as it was not suitable for use during "inclement weather".

Pool demolished at Butlin's resort in Bognor Credit: Eddie Mitchell

The application stated: "Despite the very recent encouraging news that a vaccine may soon become available, Butlin's needs to make robust plans for 2021 and beyond so that the risk of having to limit operations and disappoint more guests next year and beyond can be minimised.

"Therefore, it is proposed to provide an additional stage in a temporary building. This will enable the resort capacity to be raised from the 3,200 figure in the summer of 2020 to 4,000 for 2021.

"Given the continued uncertainties about Covid and post-Covid requirements and guest expectations, a temporary period of 3 years is sought for the buildings to avoid the need to repeat this exercise seeking a renewal of planning permission that might be necessary if a shorter period were approved.

"The proposed venue does not increase the capacity of the resort.

"It would allow Butlin's to get closer to the normal resort capacity (albeit still well below pre Covid normal capacities) and operate to a more viable level of business, whilst allowing guests to enjoy their stay in a socially distanced manner, including during periods of inclement weather when an outdoor stage would not be attractive."

The status of the planning application is currently "undecided", with a decision due on March 8.