£28m plan for new swimming pools in Shrewsbury is revealed

Shropshire Council's Cabinet is being asked to back a public consultation into plans to invest £28million in new swimming pools and improved leisure facilities for Shrewsbury Sports Village.

The project would see two new swimming pools, including a 25-metre pool suitable for county competitions and galas, and a 17x10-metre pool with a moveable floor for learners and water sports.

New seating in the pool hall would create space for 250 spectators and space for 250 competitors and new changing rooms including a facility for people in need of additional support.

The council says it would allow the centre to host galas and regional swimming competitions while keeping public swim sessions and lessons in a separate studio pool, which would also be available to hire for children’s parties, as well as offering new and improved fitness and leisure facilities.

A new reception area and lobby would include a cafe overlooking the pool and a new children's soft play area.

A range of new fitness facilities include a 130-station fitness suite, a dance studio and a 30-station cycle spin studio.

Robert Macey, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for culture and digital, said: “This is an exciting project to be launching, and we are keen to hear people’s views on the proposals which will allow Shrewsbury Sports Village to become a flagship leisure and fitness centre and would bring regional competitions and swimming galas to our sites.

“A key priority for Shropshire Council is to improve health and wellbeing at all stages of life, and residents’ participation in physical activity is crucial to this.

“This proposal shows significant investment in health, wellbeing and fitness provision, which will serve the population in Shrewsbury and the surrounding area for the next 30-40 years. It is important to stress that this is about improving and enhancing Shrewsbury Sports Village, and no decision has been made about The Quarry Swimming and Fitness Centre.

“We have already demonstrated our ability to prioritise residents’ access to health and fitness services by investing more than £13m in a new swimming and fitness centre for Whitchurch, the development of which is already under way. Now our priority is to make the most of our existing assets and to develop Shrewsbury Sports Village.”

Shrewsbury's Quarry main swimming pool reopened in December after 17 months of closure.

The pool closed in July 2022 after inspectors found corrosion had made ceiling panels and ventilation units unsafe, by April, work had begun on a £400,000 project to strip out damaged and eroded pipes and ducting from the roof space over the pool, as well as unused light fittings, walkways and ceiling panels.

Cabinet members are being asked to approve the eight-week-long public consultation on the Sports Village proposal, at its meeting on Wednesday, January 17.

Robert Macey added: “The new facility would be designed and built to sustainable building principles, and make use of photovoltaic cells and air source heat pumps amongst other environmental initiatives, be more energy efficient than the site currently is, and it would be all-electric, so would contribute towards the council’s target of being carbon neutral by 2030.”