Pool plans move forward to design phase

An artist's impression has been released of how a new £28m pool facility could look once completed

Detailed designs are to be drawn up for a £28m swimming pool project after initial proposals were backed by councillors.

Architects and planners will start work on full designs for a pool at Shrewsbury Sports Village (SSV), following approval by Shropshire Council's cabinet.

The design and planning phase of the scheme in Sundorne is expected to take about a year and will also see a planning application submitted and a build contractor appointed.

Initial costs for design and planning work have been estimated at about £2.25m.

At a cabinet meeting, Shropshire Amateur Swimming Association urged the council to back the scheme.

"We would like to ask you all to support the future of swimming in Shropshire as a whole by saying yes to the proposed project," said Jean Childs, reading out a public question on the association's behalf.

"The new pool would give Shropshire swimmers the opportunity to excel in the sport they love by providing a venue fit for purpose, suitable for training both in and out of the pool and competitions fit to represent the county with prestige."

Quarry pool

About 20% of scheme costs will be funded by Shropshire Council's capital programme, with the remainder from government-backed loan schemes and other sources of grant funding.

The finalised proposal will then come back before full council for approval ahead of the build stage, which would then take a further two years to complete.

The council said it will run a separate consultation on the future of the town’s popular Quarry pool site after the sports village scheme was "sufficiently advanced", but in a report put to cabinet once again stated its position the SSV project would not affect the Quarry's future.

"The council will look at future options for the Quarry site once the SSV project is sufficiently advanced, which would be subject to a separate consultation in due course," the report said.

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.