Minsthorpe pool will be rebuilt back at former site

A new £5m swimming facility will be built on the site of the former Minsthorpe Pool.

Wakefield Council confirmed the old site at Ash Grove had been selected for the new leisure centre earlier this week.

And it said plans for what the new pool would look like would be available by the end of Spring.

Coun Les Shaw, the council’s cabinet member for culture, leisure and sport, said: “Because we want to provide a modern leisure centre, which will be built very differently to the old pool, we had to make absolutely sure that we chose a site that could accommodate everything we want the new facility to deliver for the local community.

“I am delighted we are now in a position to confirm the location of the new pool as the project continues to move forward.

“Now we have reached this key milestone I have instructed officers to progress the project as quickly as possible so that the people of the south east can get the high quality leisure facility they deserve.”

Members of the community will have the chance to give feedback on the plans. A planning application will be submitted, and if approved, work will start on site after the contractor has been appointed.

Wakefield Council closed Minsthorpe Swimming Pool in 2013. Its cabinet approved plans to build a new £5m pool at Minsthorpe Community College in November 2014. But the proposals were scrapped last December and the site was deemed “not viable”.

South Elmsall and South Kirkby councillor Michelle Collins: “It’s great we’re building a new baths on the old site, which is what a lot of us wanted all along. We’ve been without a facility for too long and we’ve had a lot of nice words and promises - again they are welcome - but we need some action. Let’s get on with it.”

David Fitzgerald of Minsthorpe Pool Action Group, said: “MPAG is very pleased with the latest announcement that the new swimming pool will definitely now be built on the site of the old pool as this is something that we have campaigned for from the beginning of this long running saga.”

He said the group also urged the council to also consider dry-side leisure opportunities “to benefit all the South East community”.

Upton councillor Martyn Ward said: “People, for the most part, have been very patient over what some would say has been too long a gap between the old outdated, damaged and unusable pool being closed to moving forward to the building of a new one but we are now seeing that come to fruition.

“The first choice of the majority was always the original Ash Grove site so I am glad to be informed it is to be built there.”