Shrewsbury Quarry swimming pool recommendation due 'after Easter'

Consultants are reviewing the information gathered by Shropshire Council during its five-month consultation last year.

The council had asked the public which it favoured out of a total of seven options, with 68 per cent backing the idea of the pool remaining at its Quarry location.

Neil Willcox, Shropshire Council's local commissioning manager, said that "detailed analysis" of the 1,924 consultation responses is currently being carried out.

He said: "Consultants are working on a detailed analysis of the results of the consultation on swimming provision in Shrewsbury, and we look forward to sharing this after Easter."

A proposal to move the pool to Shrewsbury Sports Village in Sundorne, which has been criticised by councillors, businesses, and The Quarry Swimming and Fitness Forum, was preferred by only 16 per cent of those who responded.

The 68 per cent of respondents who favoured the Quarry were split between three options for the site – 22 per cent backed a new build, 23 per cent a refurbishment, and 21 per cent a more considerable upgrade.

The consultants are expected to come up with two options which will then be considered by the council's cabinet, with a final decision expected before the end of the year.

The issue has been complicated by Shropshire Council's announcement that it is intending to reduce budgets for leisure centres and swimming pools to zero in 2017/18.

Despite that, council leader Malcolm Pate has refused to be drawn on the future of the plans for Shrewsbury's swimming pool.

George Candler, the council's director of commissioning, has said the public view would be taken into account when deciding on a final site, but that the council would not rule out other options.