Shrewsbury Quarry pool feelings 'cannot be ignored'

The Quarry Swimming and Fitness Forum has also called on Shropshire Council to abandon investigations into all options for a future location for the pool – apart from those based at the Quarry and Shrewsbury Sports Village, Sundorne.

Bernard Wills, chairman of the forum, made the comments after Shropshire Council announced that 68 per cent of the 1,924 people who responded to its five-month consultation, favoured retaining a pool at the current Quarry site.

Mr Wills explained: "It does not surprise anyone that the Quarry is by far the most popular. Sixty-eight per cent of people want it to stay in the town.

"That cannot be ignored. The question I would put to them is why are you wasting public money on looking at Clayton Way, land off Ellesmere Road or a new build in London Road, when they only have two real contenders?"

Mr Wills also said that costs should not be the main consideration in which option is given the green light.

He said: "I am very pleased with what has come out. It is very encouraging because it is showing exactly what the people of Shrewsbury want.

"The costs, yes, certainly need to be looked at but you cannot exclusively look at it on financial grounds.

"You have to look at the whole picture – getting people swimming and fit is the most important thing."

Usage figures put forward by the council for a pool based at Sundorne have also been questioned by the group, who say they are not convinced the financial argument actually stack up.

However, George Candler, Shropshire Council's director of commissioning, said the authority stands by the details listed in its options report.

He said: "We have met with the forum, the town council, and the BID, to explain the figures to answer their questions on that and given the detailed explanations as to why those figures, such as level of participation, varies from one site to the next.

"After that was given there is still a view from some that they disagree with that."

Shropshire Council will now be looking to appoint a company to carry out further analysis on the consultation responses.

A selection of preferred options will then be considered by Shropshire Council's cabinet in spring, with a final option expected to be confirmed by the end of the year.