Abbey Fields: Councillors back plans to finish Kenilworth pool

Warwick District Council is redeveloping a swimming pool at Abbey Fields despite medieval remains being found

Councillors have backed plans to complete a new swimming pool in Kenilworth, despite seeing costs spiral due to Medieval finds.

Ceramics and buildings were discovered at the Abbey Fields site in the summer.

Warwick District Council said finding a new site could be more expensive and scrapping the idea would be against residents' wishes.

Amended plans, including raising the height of foundations, means the cost has risen from £14.7m to £22.6m.

The council's cabinet group had backed plans earlier this month, but it required approval at a full council meeting.

Some of the remains found earlier this year date back to the 13th Century and measures are being put in place to protect them.

A plan to create a half-metre-tall buffer with suspended concrete - expected to cost millions of pounds - was put forward alongside options to abandon the project altogether or seek an alternative site.

Ceramics and and at least five buildings have been uncovered at the Kenilworth site

However, the council were told that finding an alternative site would cost more time and money, while abandoning the idea of a new swimming pool would not align with the council's plans and would be going against the wishes of many residents.

'Warwick District Council's HS2'

Although the project was voted through, there were dissenting voices.

Conservative councillor Peter Phillips called for a three-month pause to review alternative options amid concerns about "throwing good money after bad".

"What I am really worried about when I look at the numbers in the confidential report is that this looks as though it is going to become Warwick District Council's HS2," he said.

"We are going to be spending an awful lot of money that we don't have, we are borrowing it and burdening the council for years to come when we haven't yet got a certainty that the costs are going to be anything like under control.

"Overall, I don't think this is a good use of funds."