Ipswich council plans to close Crown Pools and build new aquatics centre

The new aquatics centre would be built next to Ipswich Town Football Club's stadium

A popular swimming pool in Ipswich could be closed and replaced by a new "low carbon aquatics centre".

Ipswich Borough Council wants to close Crown Pools and build a new facility on a car park next to Ipswich Town Football Club's Portman Road stadium.

Its Sports Facilities Strategy also says it will support the reopening of Broomhill lido and create a new athletics centre at Gainsborough.

The authority said the town's current facilities were "a bit old fashioned".

Proposals for the aquatics centre include water flumes, a bigger gym, better facilities for fitness classes, soft play and a cafe.

If adopted by the council's executive, it is expected to be open by 2027.

Ipswich Borough Council said Crown Pools was "state of the art" in the 80s, but was now "old fashioned"

The facility would replace Crown Pools, which opened in 1984 and boasts three pools and a popular wave machine.

The new carbon-neutral centre at Gainsborough is set to have an eight-court sports hall, bigger gym and fitness suites, new provision for the gymnastics centre and an eight-lane athletics track as well as grass and artificial pitches and changing rooms.

It could be open for Easter 2025, the council said.

The authority added that plans for facilities in the Whitton area were still under development but it remained "committed to providing community sports facilities in this part of the borough".

Councillor Bryony Rudkin, the council's portfolio holder for sport, said: "Our sports facilities mostly date from the 1980s and are increasingly challenging and costly to operate as well as a bit old fashioned.

"This Sports Facilities Strategy demonstrates our commitment to ensuring Ipswich residents have access to high quality community sports and swimming facilities and to meeting our carbon reduction targets."

The outdoor Broomhill pool has been closed since 2002 but the council said it expected it to reopen in 2025.