£28m plan for new swimming pools in Shrewsbury

Shropshire Council’s Cabinet is being asked to back a public consultation, as it reveals plans for a £28million investment in new swimming pools and improved leisure facilities for Shrewsbury Sports Village.

The scheme would bring:

• A 25-metre x 8-lane pool – suitable for county competitions, galas and general swimming
• 17 x 10 metre studio pool with moveable floor for learners and other water sports, including a children’s water party module
• Seating in pool hall for 250 spectators and space for 250 competitors
• Changing village, plus Changing Places facility for people in need of additional support
• New reception area and lobby, with café overlooking the pool
• New children’s soft play area
• New 130-station fitness suite
• Multi-purpose studio with access to existing kitchen – divisible into two areas for group activities and events
• New dance studio
• New 30-station cycle spin studio
• Refurbishment of the dry changing facilities
• Maintaining all other internal and external facilities on site including: the main sports hall with 8 badminton courts, Box 12 studio, 16 football pitches and football changing, bowls hall, cycle track and eight netball courts.

An example of a swimming pool with easy access steps

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.

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 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.”

Cabinet members are being asked to approve an eight-week long public consultation on the proposal, at its meeting on Wednesday 17 January 2024 at 10.30am.

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.”

Updated Monday 5 February: The Cabinet decision of January 17 was called in. Shropshire Council’s economy and environment overview and scrutiny committee will now consider the proposal at 10am on Friday 9 February.