Pool plan for Royal Wootton Bassett is backed (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Pool plan for Royal Wootton Bassett is backed

8:00am Monday 13th February 2012 in Local By Emma Dunn

A swimming pool for Royal Wootton Bassett is likely to be ready by the end of the year after proposals gained the support of the area board.

The Royal Wootton Bassett and Cricklade Area Board is supporting a plan put forward by the Shadow Campus Operations Board (SCOB) for the facility on a new site, which is likely to need funding from partner organisations.

If external funding cannot be secured to support a new build, then the secondary proposal is to develop a campus, with a refurbishment of the Lime Kiln site. Both options would include a public swimming pool.

The SCOB, which is made up of area board, town and parish council representatives and members of the public, is working with the community to create a campus which reflects the area’s future needs.

The Reverend Canon Thomas Woodhouse, who is chairman of the SCOB, said: “Our preferred model is a split-site campus with the library service in its current location in Borough Fields and a new-build campus in the Lime Kiln area, which will draw together leisure services with a swimming pool and community meeting room facilities.

“We have aimed to get the very best facilities for the town and that means, for the vision to be realised in full, we need to secure funding from a partnership beyond Wiltshire Council.

“The important thing for people to realise is that the vision is not just about sport. All sorts of partnerships are being looked at, including advice centres.”

Whichever campus option is pursued, the council has said it is committed to re-instating public swimming provision in the town before the end of 2012.

A suggested 12-week temporary pool will not be installed in the meantime, as it could delay the completion of the permanent pool.

Area board chairman Coun Peter Doyle said: “The SCOB is working hard, together with council officers, to create a state-of-the-art campus that will be home to many community services, including a swimming pool. We want to get this right so residents have an input and make sure they get the services that they want and need for future generations.”