Public invited to visit new £14m swimming pool

The 25m, six-lane pool has a movable floor, allowing the depth to be adjusted

People are being invited to see a new council-owned swimming pool ahead of its official opening later this month.

It has taken 12 months to build the new facility in Whitchurch and the deputy leader of Shropshire Council Ian Nellins said it was "well worth the wait".

He is the first person to take a swim in the new 25m pool and a grand opening has been planned for 19 March.

The £14m centre replaces one which closed in 2020 because of structural issues.

As well as the six-lane pool, the complex has a fitness suite and dance studio with panoramic views of the town.

Lezley Picton, the leader of the authority, said it was "very, very high quality" and did not "have that sort of council leisure feel about it".

She added: "I remember the emails and the phone calls that I had when we had to close the previous Whitchurch pool and we knew how much this meant to the people of Whitchurch."

The centre has been built to use renewable energy

The centre will be managed by the Shropshire Community Leisure Trust and Serco, which operates several other leisure centres on behalf of Shropshire Council.

Children from five local primary schools are to have lessons at the pool, and the council hopes the site will bring in people from outside the area to use the facilities too.

Peter Gilbertson, project manager, said the venue had been designed to last.

He said: "The children who learn to swim here are going to be bringing their children to learn to swim here."

Councillor Ian Nellins was the first to try the new pool

People interested in looking around the facility will be allowed to take a tour in the week before it opens.

They will also be invited to sign up for memberships when they visit.