'No cheap solution' to Kenilworth medieval site pool plan

Padraig Herlihy said there are "no cheap solutions to the future of the pool

Revised plans for a swimming pool will be more expensive and take longer to build after the discovery of medieval remains on the site.

The extensive remains, thought to be at least five buildings, were found at Abbey Fields in Kenilworth, as work began to build a new swimming centre.

The site was opened to allow the public to see what had been discovered.

Padraig Herlihy, project manager, said there were no cheap solutions to the future of the project.

The original £10m budget for the pool has now increased to £15m, before mitigation measures.

Neil Page said teams had no idea of what they might find under the pool

Abbey Fields was once farmland belonging to St Mary's Abbey. The Abbey was dissolved in the 16th Century.

Some of the remains found date to back to the 13th Century.

Neil Page of Archaeology Warwickshire said no-one knew it was there.

"Despite what has happened here in the past, there was no hint that anything this extensive was going to be here.

"In fairness, it has had four swimming pools built on it, with not a word of anything like this, so how could anybody know?"

Medieval remains were found on the site in July, delaying work

Revised plans for the pool were unveiled to the public at a meeting last week.

Councillors were due to meet in November to make a decision on the future of the project.

The revisions, which include raise the foundations by 19.6 inches (50cm), could increase the costs of the pool by up to £7.9m, with councillors also asked to consider cancelling the project altogether or picking other sites within the town.

An artists impression shows what the pool building could look like

"It does mean the new building, if the council chooses to continue, will be more expensive and will take longer to build," Mr Herlihy, the project manager for Warwick District Council added.

"But it will preserve all of these remains underneath the building."

Thousands of people signed a petition calling for the site to be reconsidered.

Huge crowds attended the open day and some told BBC Midlands Today they were "horrified" the remains could be covered, adding they were "sure there will be space for swimming pools somewhere else".

Clive Peacock said there has been a "lack of planning" over the scheme

Clive Peacock, from Restore Kenilworth Lido, criticised the council for a "lack of leadership, a lack of planning, and a lack of vision".

Work had begun on a new multi-million pound swimming centre, which will include a second indoor pool but some campaigners were upset at the town losing its lido pool.