The council “is fully committed to keeping Woodmill Outdoor Activities Centre open as a facility for water activities and community use” according to a cabinet member.

Cllr Toqeer Kataria, Southampton City Council (SCC) cabinet member for compliance and leisure, said that the authority is currently “exploring various future options for the site, in partnership with a range of interested parties” and will ”share updates with the wider community once the details are finalised”.

As reported, six months ago the council said that it was giving itself more time to explore potential options for both Woodmill and, down river, Southampton Water Activities Centre (SWAC).

But it said at the time that if no suitable provider is identified, “other disposal options will be considered”.

In a February response to a question about Woodmill from Bitterne Park councillor Amanda Barnes-Andrews, Cllr Kataria said that “several” organisations had expressed interest.

“Some have understandably decided to step back, while others are progressing to the next stage of discussions.

“We have also held open days for interested parties to visit the centre and provided opportunities for networking among them. We are now awaiting feedback and business plans from operators on how they intend to run the centre and the benefits they foresee in increasing usage and benefits for Southampton residents.”

However he also stressed in his reply: “There is always a risk where we may not find an operator and closure be the last option.  But that is absolute last option.”

Meanwhile as also previously reported, SCC is currently looking to sell a further 13 sites in the next phase of an “important and transformational” project, although it hasn’t revealed which ones, saying publishing details about sites would detrimentally affect their “marketability”.