Five swimming pools across Somerset will need significant maintenance work over the coming years, according to a new council report.
Sedgemoor District Council has published its new playing pitch and built facilities strategy, which expains which sports facilities across the district will have to be improved in the coming years and where new facilities may be needed.
The strategy includes an assessment of the district’s main public swimming pools, which concludes that no new facilities will need to be delivered in the next ten years.
However, it does warn that the existing swimming pools will all need investment to refurbish or upgrade them to ensure people can keep using them during this time.
The five publicly accessible pools identified in the strategy are:
- Brean Splash Waterpark on Coast Road
- Trinity Sports and Leisure on Chilton Street in Bridgwater
- Burnham-On-Sea Swim and Sports Academy
- Kings Fitness & Leisure Centre in Cheddar
- The Fusion Leisure Centre at Home Farm Holiday Park in Burnham-On-Sea
The finished strategy – which was published before a meeting of the council’s corporate scrutiny committee – states that there is “no identified need” for any additional swimming pools in the district, despite the substantial level of housing growth expected in the coming years.
However, it did suggest that the existing five facilities would need refurbishing over the next decade to ensure that residents could continue to access their local pool safely.
A spokesman said: “There were no significant facility quality issues identified as part of this strategy. However, the pool at Kings of Wessex Leisure Centre has had no refurbishment since opening 22 years ago.”
“Swim England believes there is adequate provision for swimming in Sedgemoor, but there is an ageing stock of pools in the area. Better quality indoor water provision should be increased due to a large amount of the water provision currently being provided by lidos and other similar swimming pools.”
The strategy commits the council – and the new unitary council set to launch in April 2023 – to keeping each of the five pools in working order, either through a directly-funded maintenance programme or working with its commercial or not-for-profit partners to secure improvements.
The spokesman added: “All swimming pools in Sedgemoor should be protected from loss as a result of redevelopment.”
“Swimming pools should be retained or enhanced as part of any redevelopment unless an assessment has demonstrated that there is an excess of provision and is surplus to requirements or clear evidence supports relocation.”
“A full building survey and a full cost plan for Kings of Wessex’s pool is recommended to work out what is needed for the future of this facility.”
The council is expected to support the proposals, as part of a wider desire to “ensure that any new facilities are provided to meet projected demand from increases in population and participation, and changes in participation patterns.”
