New pictures reveal major proposals which will transform the site of a derelict former city swimming pool

New pictures reveal major proposals which will transform the site of a derelict former city swimming pool.

Sanctuary Housing has revealed its proposals to build a mix of 40 affordable two-to-four-bed homes and one-bed flats on the site of the former Sansome Walk swimming pool in Worcester.

The former swimming pool closed at the end of 2016 and was finally demolished this summer.

The plans include two apartment blocks housing 28 flats and 12 homes as well as 87 parking spaces and cycle storage.

Almost a third of the parking spaces will be saved for residents in Chestnut Street.

A statement included with the application said: “The proposal site is an infill site in a highly sustainable urban area with good access to public transport, good access by bicycle and on foot, and shops and services within easy walking distance.

“The proposal will increase density, making efficient use of land and will provide new affordable housing in a sustainable location, contributing towards Worcester’s housing targets and towards the government objective of boosting the supply of housing.”

The submission of the planning application for housing comes after several years of delays.

The derelict swimming pool was due to be demolished in early 2019 but work was delayed to due to a higher-than-expected amount of asbestos being found.

It was eventually demolished this year, at an estimated cost of £2.64 million.

The swimming pool closed in December 2016 following the huge multi-million-pound redevelopment of the city’s Perdiswell Leisure Centre.

The council agreed to move ahead with demolishing the building in January 2017 before deciding the land would be used for new homes in July later that year.

The city council had agreed to sell the site to Sanctuary Housing and YMCA in March 2018 and plans were revealed to convert the site into 22 two-bedroom shared-ownership homes, 76 accommodation units for 18-to-35-year-olds, a business hub and a communal enterprise space.

A number of surveys were carried out in 2017 to find out how much asbestos was in the building before the contract for the demolition work was put out to tender.

Additional surveys in September 2018 found more asbestos than was expected leading to further investigations.

Plans backed by the council in July 2019 said demolition should have started in February 2020 with an original completion date of October revealed in the committee papers.

The city council then said in February last year – just before the first Covid lockdown hit – that it hoped the building would be demolished “by the end of the year.”