A new council-run leisure centre has been blasted by critics as being unaffordable with high prices putting it at risk of becoming “a white elephant”.

Cozenton Park Sports Centre, formerly known as Splashes, has not yet opened but has already come in for stinging criticism families and councillors who argue the facility is being funded residents, so should be affordable for all.

The new £23.65million centre on Bloors Lane in Rainham, which is due to open on July 17, will feature a gym, leisure pool with flume, 25-metre lane pool, dance studio, and cafe - but some say the prices are too steep.

The cost of Fun Splash is £12.50 for adults, £10.35 for under 16s and over 60s, and £10.10 for people with disablities.

A family ticket – consisting of a family-of-four, two parents and two children – will set people back £45.70. In comparison, a family ticket for casual users at Larkfield Leisure Centre, which also consists of two adults and two children, costs just £29.60. At Mote Park Leisure centre, the same thing costs £30.

One parent said: “A cost of over £45 for two adults and two children under 16 to use both the flume and wave machine, thanks Medway Council but I too will be giving it a miss, absolutely outrageous pricing.”

While a second person added: “Looks nice granted but trying to claw your money back by overcharging people isn't going to go down well so good luck with that, can see this place being pretty empty.”

One Deal resident said they would love to have such a facility, adding: “As already said entry costs are steep, but from the other side least you have what appears to be a very well built centre that covers the needs of your community. Here in Deal we can only dream of such facilities.”

A fourth person fumed: “Good luck with those prices. With today's cost of living, families can't afford that. Hopefully something will get sorted as that is daylight robbery.”

The Medway Lib Dems, who have also petitioned unsuccessfully for the council to reverse its cutting of free swimming for under-16s, claim the price of Fun Splash, which gives access to the leisure pool and main lane pool, is much higher than at similar centres elsewhere and would cut off some residents from the facility.

The group thinks the hefty family ticket price will drive residents away to centres in other areas or prevent them from swimming at all.

They’re asking the council to explain its reasoning for the costs and their expectations of how many residents will use the new leisure centre - they also renew their call for the reinstatement of free swimming.

Stuart Bourne, the Lib Dems’ parliamentary candidate for Gillingham and Rainham, said: “Many people have raised concerns about these high prices, with them saying they can’t afford to visit the new Splashes.

“Cozenton Park Sports Centre was an expensive investment for Medway Council.

“We don’t want it to turn into another white elephant.

“Also, we all paid for this facility, that means everyone should be able to use it.”

The free swimming provision for under 16s and over 60s was cut in the annual budget in February, a decision the Labour administration called difficult but necessary to balance the authority’s finances.

The council did say they were looking at ways to reduce the cost for families in order to mitigate the loss of the scheme.

Cozenton Park Sports Centre was first announced in June 2021, with the former Splashes demolished to make way for a new facility, which began to be built two years ago.

Plans were revealed shortly after Medway Council announced a £5million revamp had been put on hold because surveys of the site had identified issues with the structure.

The new facility will be the first new sports centre in the Towns for 30 years.

Medway Council were contacted for comment.