Council chief sinks Shrewsbury pool site hotel fears
Shropshire Council leader Keith Barrow has quashed rumours that a five-star hotel will be built on Shrewsbury's Quarry swimming pool site – but the facility could still be relocated and the land sold.
He reassured councillors at a packed Shropshire Council cabinet meeting yesterday, where it was announced that the consultation process on the future of the pool is now firmly under way.
Officers will now work on plans for the next six weeks before a further three months of public consultation takes place. And Councillor Gwilym Butler said the proposals marked "the start of the beginning" following months of rumoured moves and hundreds of objections.
A report on The Quarry Swimming and Fitness Centre put together by director of commissioning George Candler claims the current site is "costly" due to constant repairs.
Councillor Barrow
said: "I can promise you we are not selling the land off for a five-star hotel to be built on, that simply isn't true. If we do relocate then yes, we will be selling the site but not so a five-star hotel can be built there.
"I'd like to point out that there are numerous councils in the country at the moment who are selling off and shutting down their leisure facilities.
"And Shropshire Council isn't doing that. We're making sure that at the end of all of this we will be left with something much better then what we currently have."
Possible new sites include Battlefield and Sundorne. A "no-frills" cost has been calculated at £5.8 million, but the overall cost could be as much as £8 million.
Meanwhile, the Quarry Swimming and Fitness Forum has high hopes for an Olympic-sized 50-metre pool funded by Sport England.
The results of a survey which was taken by nearly 10,00 people shows that more then 70 per cent of pool users want the site to stay put.
Councillor Hannah Fraser, who organised the survey, spoke out at the meeting. She said: "I wanted to see what people thought, because to say it won't make a difference simply isn't true.
"Some people have said they wouldn't even be able to use the pool if it is moved because they wouldn't be able to get there. There are a lot of concerns as to provision in the pool for learners."
She was interrupted by Councillor Barrow, who said: "It's just common sense, I know about swimming pools having been a swimming coach for 20 years and of course we will make the provision."
