Shrewsbury public 'totally ignored' over Quarry pool's fate
Campaigners have claimed the public has been ignored after Shropshire Council confirmed its intention to close Shrewsbury's Quarry swimming pool.
The authority has announced that
But it has given groups up to 12 months to come up with an acceptable plan to keep the Quarry pool open.
Any proposal will be considered by the council's cabinet and a final decision will then be taken.
Bernard Wills, chairman of The Quarry Forum, said: "It is very disappointing for people to take the time to get involved in the consultation and then to be totally ignored.
"I think it is just arrogant and if the cabinet accept that report and ignore the 68 per cent that took part in the consultation and said they want to stay at the Quarry then it shows what a sham it has been.
"They have spent thousands of pounds of public money doing a report pretending they are listening to people and they have totally ignored it."
But George Candler, the council's director of place and enterprise, dismissed suggestions that the decision had been pre-determined, and said huge efforts had been made to evaluate the best location.
He said: "We started as a local authority with this piece of work and initially looked at 22 different locations around Shrewsbury. We had open dialogue with the forum from the beginning and the BID.
"We were asked to include not just a new build but a re-build and refurbishment, which we have done.
"We undertook independent analysis of the 22 sites, then the seven shortlisted to do further analysis.
"We did a five month consultation, employed independent experts to look in depth, and have evaluated very transparently and in the best way all the data and the outcome is the preferred location at the sports village.
"We have never said that was the preferred location and we wanted to do the due diligence to get to a preferred location."
Currently a group made up of Shrewsbury Town Council, The Quarry Forum and Shrewsbury Business Improvement District is in the process of developing a plan which would allow the pool to remain open.
Kirsten Henly, executive director of Shrewsbury BID, said they would continue attempts to find a solution.
She said: "We're disappointed that Shropshire Council's recommendation is to locate such an important facility out of the town centre.
"The weight of public and local business opinion highlights a shared community-focussed vision for both the facility and the space in which it's currently located.
"A broader and sustainable plan is much needed and we're currently working on this with our partners. We're confident that we can make a strong, viable case for the pool staying where it is and continuing to contribute to the vitality of Shrewsbury."
The council report questions a claim that the Quarry pool provides an economic boost to the town centre.
It states: "There is no existing hard evidence about the economic benefit of the Quarry to Shrewsbury town centre, although anecdotally, it is clear there is some.
"Equally there is no hard evidence that Shrewsbury Sports Village does not benefit the town overall, or the town centre although again anecdotally one would expect a better economic impact derived from a town centre location.
"As an edge of town location, Shrewsbury Sports Village provides an accessible venue, with free parking, unlike the Quarry which is chargeable."
The report also claims that a new leisure centre will attract more people to the town.
It states: "Users of Shrewsbury Sports Village may well travel into the town centre before or after using the facility.
"Any new development with public transport direct to the site from the town centre is likely to encourage visits into Shrewsbury, although this could result in parking issues, if cars are left for an excessive period at the Shrewsbury Sports Village site.
"The development of a new leisure facility will attract more visitors to a town, irrespective of its location, even if they only use the facility once. "
The report adds: "A facility capable of hosting events will also attract more visitors to an area, irrespective of its location as participants attend for the event, not the location.
"But spectators will come for an event and then make use of the local facilities – shops, restaurants, hotels, and other attractions."
