Council set to keep pool in town centre

Councillor Peter Nutting, who took over the leadership of the council after the authority had stated its preference for moving the pool to Sundorne, said the council was listening to public feeling over the matter.

He said: "We are minded to redevelop on the current site."

No official decision has yet been revealed by the council over the future of the pool.

The Quarry Swimming and Fitness Centre is currently home several different sized pools, with campaigners arguing that moving to a new venue would reduce swimming space.

The council's bid to move the pool to Shrewsbury Sports Village in Sundorne had been thrown into doubt after Councillor Nutting commissioned a review of the decision shortly after taking over as leader in May last year.

Prior to taking office councillor Nutting had backed campaigners who called for the council to abandon plans to move the pool out of Shrewsbury's town centre.

The issue has also proved contentious with the town's businesses with Shrewsbury Business Improvement District (BID) coming out in favour of keeping the pool in the town centre.

Councillor Nutting said that the public had made their voices heard over the future of the pool.

He said: "We are listening to the public and they have clearly stressed a preference for that site. Also I think it fits in well with the Quarry as a venue and the splash park which the town council has provided."

Councillor Nutting added: "If we work with the town council the footprint might not be the same as now because the town council owns the Quarry, and has the splash park next door, and that could give some scope for re-shaping the area."

Speaking at a meeting of the authority's cabinet last summer, Councillor Nutting said he would do what he could to stop the facility moving out of town.

At the meeting in June he said: "What I cannot do is give an absolute 100 per cent assurance. What I would say is funding is in place for the time being and I will do everything I can to ensure the facility is in the town centre.

"I will try as hard as I can to ensure that is the way forward."

Shropshire Council had previously agreed to close the pool at the Quarry Swimming and Fitness Centre and building a new one at Shrewsbury Sports Village in Sundorne.

The final confirmation of the decision was put on hold while groups were given 12 months to come up with a plan to keep the pool at the town centre.

However, that process was abandoned when Councillor Nutting announced a review of potential locations for the pool.