Shrewsbury Quarry Swimming Pool plan response is expected

Alan Mosley, leader of the town council, said the outline business case proposed for the future of the Quarry baths was “exciting and sustainable”.

Today, he said the town council should know by its next meeting on Monday the response to its initial proposals from Shropshire Council.

And he said the town council had been doing background work to be ready if they decide to proceed with a full business case.

He said: “By the date of the town council meeting we should have Shropshire Council’s response to the outline business case and we have been doing some background work to look at consultancies that will come in and complete the more detailed work to enable us to complete a full business case.

“This is an extremely important issue for people in the Shrewsbury area and we are aware of the massive support there is to retain the baths in the town centre.

“We have allocated £25,000 for expert work to help us put in a full business case if that is what we decide to do.

“That will particularly involve a business plan for the management and development of the pool. It will look at the efficiency and economic gains of the pool for the town council and its sustainability and we will also need to look at the condition of the pool and opportunities for significant refurbishment that will equip it for life going forward as an up to date sustainable facility.

“We are excited that there can be alternatives found that are very attractive and efficient that satisfy needs and provide the most popular and attractive facility without having to move it to Sundorne Sports Village which we feel will be bad for users particularly relation to accessibility and the overall circumstances in the town centre.

“The place for the baths is as a part of the town.

“We believe it was an exciting and sustainable offer and we hope we will be moving forward with a full business case and we must decide how to procure the expert advice we will need for that.

“We are confident we have got a strong case, we know we are supported by the public and we look forward to moving forward on Monday.”

Shrewsbury Town Council was the only group to submit an outline business case for the baths.

The town council now has until September 29 to finalise its full business case to take over the pool, with a final decision on the bid expected from Shropshire Council's cabinet in December.

If it is not successful then Shropshire Council will press ahead with its controversial plan to close the town-centre pool and build a new pool at Shrewsbury Sports Village, Sundorne.