Plans to transform Shrewsbury Sports Village with new swimming pools and studio space
Shrewsbury Sports Village could be transformed including new swimming pools.
Shropshire Council has submitted plans (25/02658/FUL) for the site in Sundorne which were given the go-ahead by the previous adminsitration and been shaped following a public consultation.
Built in 2005, the complex comprises a series of dry-sports facilities and changing rooms, while outside there are football pitches, multi-use netball and tennis courts and a floodlit cycle track.
However, the new development plans to include swimming pools, as well as other facilities. This includes:
A 25-metre x eight-lane pool – suitable for county competitions, galas and general swimming.
17 x 10 metre studio pool with moveable floor for learners and other water sports, including a children’s water party module.
Seating in pool hall for 250 spectators and space for 250 competitors
Changing village, plus Changing Places facility for people in need of additional support.
New reception area and lobby, with café overlooking the pool.
New children’s soft play area.
New 130-station fitness suite.
Multi-purpose studio.
New dance studio.
New 30-station cycle spin studio.
Refurbishment of the dry changing facilities.
Maintaining all other internal and external facilities on site including: the main sports hall with eight badminton courts, exercise studio, 16 football pitches and football changing, bowls hall, cycle track and eight netball courts.
Plans for the Sports Village also include making it an all-electric operation. If approved, this will mean that the centre’s existing gas boilers will be decommissioned to make a step change in the council’s journey to being net-zero.
“Public consultation is a key factor in any council development,” said a spokesperson for Roberts Limbrick in a design and access statement.
“There has been no specific consultation on the revised proposals as of yet, this will likely happen in the next stage alongside the pre-appplication.
“A detailed public consultation report was published in June 2024 to reflect public opinion on design scheme,” said a spokesperson for Roberts Limbrick in a design and access statement.
“Although the design has developed, they both capture the same core facilities and key adjacencies and hence the findings remain relevant and have now been considered by the design team in the overall redesign.
Councillor James Owen, Cabinet member for housing and leisure at Shropshire Council, said: “This planning application marks an important step forward in our journey in creating a modern competition centre which aims to cater for residents across the county.
“While we face significant financial challenges, the money that has been used to create the detailed designs and planning application for the centre is coming from our capital budget, a budget that we are not allowed to use to deliver day-to-day services. This budget was agreed by the previous adminsitration.
“It is important to note that, despite this planning application process, no decisions have yet been made. We remain committed to maintaining a separate swimming facility within Shrewsbury town centre and we are exploring ways in which we can do this.”
