Permission sought to begin demolition of closed Whitchurch swimming pool

Shropshire Council is applying for permission to begin the demolition of the closed Whitchurch Swimming Pool, as well as the former youth centre and Multi-Use Games Area.

Demolition notices have been posted at the White Lion Meadow site in the town, and the planning application for a new pool and fitness centre will be considered by Shropshire Council’s Northern Planning Committee on Tuesday 10 October 2023.

The centre that is planned for demolition

Robert Macey, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for culture and digital, said:-

“This is a big milestone for the project team working on delivering a new pool and fitness centre in Whitchurch.

“Once permission for demolition to begin is granted it will allow us to clear the site well before Christmas, reducing the impact on local people, visitors and the seasonal economy of the town.”

Plans for the £13.1m pool and fitness centre were lodged with Shropshire Council in July. The proposal for the new centre includes a six-lane 25m pool, a 35-station fitness suite, multi-function rooms and a café with 20 covers.

The ground floor will accommodate the café, changing village and pool, which will be overlooking the brook. Upstairs there will be a 41-station gym with state-of-the-art equipment and a flexible studio space that can be divided into two rooms.

It is anticipated the centre would open mid-2025.

Shropshire Council approved the £13.1m project after hearing that a new centre would be the most viable and cost-effective way to replace the current centre, which has not been able to open since the pandemic began.

Since the pool’s closure in March 2020, investigations to identify the cause of an ongoing leak at the facility and the practicalities of carrying out repair works showed that the swimming pool defects are such that it would not be able to reopen in its present guise.