AFTER 15 years without a publicly-run swimming pool, Minehead could find itself with two, if plans for new multi-million pound leisure facilities get the go-ahead in the next few months.

Minehead Town Council are due to consider the results of a feasibility study of a plan to build a £2 million open-air pool on the town’s Irnham Road recreation ground.

Meanwhile, this week Minehead Swimming and Leisure Ltd, a community benefit society, revealed a rival scheme by publishing the results of a survey which claims to show that there is enough demand in the town to support a £7 million indoor pool on a site next to the Ellicombe roundabout.

Since the town’s Aquasplash pool closed in 2008, serious swimmers have had to travel to Taunton, Wellington or Tiverton.

The Ellicombe scheme - on district council land at the junction of Mallard Road and Seaward Way, involving a 25-metre competition pool, café, gym, mother-and-baby pool and other facilities - was given a provisional go-ahead by Somerset West and Taunton Council some years ago, but a £10,000 feasibility study was later delayed by the Covid pandemic.

Now Swimming and Leisure chairman Peter Wellstood is back in negotiation with the council and hopes to get a definite commitment before the district authority hands over to the new unitary Somerset Council in April.

As reported in the Free Press, the town council’s £10,000 public consultation is looking at all options but it was believed that an indoor pool would not be viable in Minehead.

Recreation ground manager Colin Johnson, who organised the study, said that outdoor swimming was becoming increasingly popular and it would be relatively cheap to run an outdoor pool for seven or eight months a year, particularly if it was heated by green energy.

Minehead Swimming and Leisure Limited was formed in 2021, to develop and manage a community owned swimming pool in Minehead.

A spokesperson said that the 382 people taking part in the survey - predominantly from Minehead - showed a strong preference for an indoor pool, rather than the outdoor pool proposed by the town council.

More than twice as many respondents said that they would visit an indoor pool more often than once a week. Two thirds wanted opportunities for lane swimming and classes such as aqua aerobics.

There was also significant support for a range of other activities including sessions for women and older swimmers, and children’s parties, swimming lessons and therapeutic swimming.

The spokesperson added: “People were keen to see other facilities provided alongside the swimming - most importantly, a cafe and spa facilities. There was also interest in circuit training and ice skating.

“By a margin of two to one, people preferred that the pool be operated by a community enterprise rather than by a local authority: compared to a private company the margin was five to one.”

Peter Wellstood added: “We are at an exciting point where plans are materialising, and we call out to the West Somerset community for any relevant expertise - please get in touch.

“The next step will be to publish a business development plan and seek further support from Swim England and Somerset Council - and the outgoing district council.

He said the group had been meeting as Minehead Swimming Pool CIC since 2017 and its aim was to benefit the community by designing, building and running a state of the art and eco-conscious swimming pool. It would be a not-for-profit organisation, run in accordance with co-operative principles.

Mr Wellstood, a retired engineer from Porlock, said the group had been having regular meetings with district council officers and was confident that agreement could be reached “perhaps in a matter of weeks.”

He added: “Once we have a piece of paper I could see the pool being open in around two years. This is something the community has been wanting for over a decade. I think it’s high time they got what they deserve.”

Do you want an indoor pool, outdoor pool, both or neither? Have your say in the comments below, or email the West Somerset Free Press letters page at [email protected]