Plans to build a new swimming pool in Shrewsbury could be placed on hold while the future of the town’s existing facility is debated.
Opposition councillors at Shropshire Council have asked for a decision to kick-off an eight-week public consultation for the scheme, which could see a £28m new swimming pool built at the Shrewsbury Sports Village(SSV) in Sundorne, to face further scrutiny before the consultation is launched.
The document approved by the council’s cabinet earlier this month described a plan to redevelop the existing town-centre facilities at The Quarry alongside the Sundorne project as “unaffordable”, which was a backtrack on a decision taken in 2020 to redevelop to site.
“The previous decision made in December 2020 to develop a dual split site proposal, with new pools being developed at both the Quarry and SSV, is currently unaffordable and development of SSV needs to be prioritised,” read the decision published by cabinet.
Shropshire Council says no decision has been taken on the future of the Quarry pool, and will undertake a full assessment on the future options for the site once the Sports Village plan has been agreed.
Councillor Roger Evans, the Liberal Democrat group leader on Shropshire Council, says the consultation is weighted against a redevelopment of the Quarry site, and has requested that the plan be called-in.
“Is it a prejudiced, biased consultation and makes plain the alternatives,” he said.
“The decision here is to go ahead with the development of a SSV Pool on its own and the abandonment of the intention to redevelop the Quarry pool.
“Past public support for the Quarry that has been clear in previous consultations should be made clear to members of the Cabinet, especially recently elected councillors from outside Shrewsbury, who may not be aware of the strong support that the Quarry received in the past.”
Shropshire Council’s cabinet member for culture, Councillor Robert Macey, says the new pool at Sundorne would be a “significant investment in health, fitness and well-being provision” which would serve the 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,” he said.
The decision to hold an eight-week public consultation on the Sundorne pool project will be discussed at a specially convened meeting of the council’s Economy and Environment scrutiny committee within the next fortnight.
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