Town centre revamp 'should include pool' (From Warrington Guardian)

Town centre revamp 'should include pool'

A REVAMP of one of Warrington town centre's most derelict areas should include a swimming pool, according to a borough council wish list for the site.

Councillors were presented with the blueprint for the development of Winwick Street at Monday's executive board meeting, and high on the priority list was a planning brief for the Arena Central site.

The document aims to set down ground rules for the development of the northern area of the town, which has already seen a boost with the opening of the new Warrington Wolves stadium and Tesco store.

Clr Terry O'Neill, the council's executive member for regeneration, said: "This is an important gateway into the northern part of the town and it is urgently needed for regeneration.

"And it is important that we get some control over the development for the area."

The masterplan will be adopted as supplementary planning guidance - which means that it must be considered by planning bosses before any application is considered.

The proposal states that a revamp of the Arena Central site - which is the derelict area of land bounded by Winwick Street, Tanners Lane, Dallam Lane and Foundry Street - should include a leisure facility that could include a swimming pool.

The area has long been earmarked by borough council bosses as a potential site for development, including a possible new cinema or other leisure facility.

Clr Colin Froggatt, the council's executive member for health, said he was delighted to see that the site was being considered as a possible home for a swimming pool.

Swimmers in the town have been calling for a new pool since the Legh Street baths closed in July last year, and councillors have maintained that they have been attempting to find a new base for a town centre swimming pool.