Plans for £2.6 million investment at Hadleigh swimming pool unveiled

Work on a new multi-million pound investment in Hadleigh’s swimming pool is set to commence at the beginning of 2019, as details of the project are unveiled.

Babergh District Council has shed light on its £2.6 million plans to revamp Hadleigh Pool and Leisure in Stonehouse Road, in collaboration with South Suffolk Leisure (SSL).

The design team confirmed it had factored in public comments into the proposal, following a recent public consultation that asked people what they wanted to see from the expansion.

The latest plans for a new 25-metre pool include a shallow depth of 0.9 metres and a deepest point of 1.8 metres, in order to allow its users to learn to both swim and dive.

The facility will also feature a sauna, as well as a ‘changing places toilet’, the first of its kind in Hadleigh, which is intended to support people with disabilities and mobility difficulties.

Margaret Maybury, Babergh District Council’s cabinet member for communities, said: “This project is an exciting development for Hadleigh and its surrounding district, as a new pool has been a dream for many for a long time.

“Babergh is committed to enhancing wellbeing facilities for all ages and the new pool project promotes this.

“We have a long way to go. Securing planning approval is the first step.

“I wish everyone at SSL every success in their endeavours and we at Babergh are behind them every step of the way.”

The council added that, provided all of the works are completed on schedule, it hopes to open the new pool to swimmers in January 2020.

Hadleigh mayor Peter Matthews said: “This is indeed an exciting move forwards that will provide a much-needed upgrade to the current facility, and ensure that our residents of all ages can use and enjoy the benefits of swimming for many more years to come.”

For more information, go to www.ssleisure.co.uk.