Plans for Shifnal swimming pool drawn up

Residents have long been campaigning for a new pool in the town after the last public pool closed 12 years ago.

But councillors said that the approval of a new proposal, which will depend on a decision from Shropshire Council, would only be the start of the process and would require a major fundraising drive to make the plans a reality.

Roger Langham, architect for Pinelog, which put together the proposal, said they submitted the reserved matters application for the pool about five weeks ago and are now awaiting a decision from Shropshire Council's planning department.

He said the plans were originally included as part of a development for 400 homes off Haughton Road, but now elevations and proposals had been put forward to show what the site could look like.

The plans will partly be funded by £750,000 of section 106 contribution from Lioncourt, the developers behind the Haughton Road site.

There is also £50,000 held by both Shifnal Town Council and a further £50,000 held by the town's swimming pool committee, which will go towards paying for the designs.

Shifnal town councillor Andy Mitchell has led the drive to get the plans submitted, in order to secure the section 106 money.

He said that the council will look to a range of sources to secure the remaining funding for the project.

"The plans cost £1.8 million so there is a lot of fundraising to be done. It is very positive for the town," he added.

Shifnal Town Council has previously put together a business plan for how the pool could be run and sent out a consultation document to residents which was supportive of a new pool for the town.

Shifnal has been without a swimming pool since Shifnal Squash Club closed in about 2004.