THE first massive step to build a new swimming pool for the West Somerset community came this week when a prime site in Minehead was finally allocated for the project.

Fourteen years after the town lost its Aquasplash swimming facility, Somerset West and Taunton Council (SWT) has agreed to provide land at the junction of Bircham Road and Seaward Way for a leisure facility and a swimming pool.

The land will be transferred to the new Somerset unitary council when it takes control in April 2023.

Since Aquasplash was replaced by the town’s Lidl supermarket, the nearest community swimming pools have been in Taunton, Wellington and Tiverton.

The project could be masterminded by Minehead Swimming Pool CIC community group, whose founder, Peter Wellstood, said: "I have waited eight years for this news and all we need is a date for the go-ahead."

He said plans were well advanced to build a 25-metre five-six lane competition pool with spectator seating, a cafe and possible a smaller mother-and-baby pool which could also be used for physiotherapy.

He added that the project could cost about £5 million but inquiries had shown that funding would probably be available.

"This would be a straightforward pool without all the fashionable extras like tubes and wave machines," Mr Wellstood, a retired Porlock engineer, said. "That’s what most people want from a pool."

The surprise revival of the project comes a year after the district council decided to put on hold a £10,000 Minehead pool feasibility study because of the Covid-19 pandemic. It would be revived when there was sufficient officer-time.

The decision to earmark the land for a swimming pool was made by SWT’s executive member for assets, Cllr Marcus Kravis, and executive member for sports and leisure, Cllr Derek Perry.

Cllr Kravis said: "There has been considerable local interest in the provision of new community swimming facilities in West Somerset for some time and we are committed to doing what we can to help deliver a new pool in Minehead.

"Setting aside suitable council-owned land now will ensure the way is paved for future delivery of a new pool as we prepare to move towards a new council for Somerset."

Cllr Perry added: "There has been considerable local interest in a replacement facility since the closure of the former West Somerset Council swimming pool in Minehead in 2008.

"We are aware that there are aspirations within the community to create an outdoor lido or sea pool in the area. Our decision to set aside land for an indoor pool - which would provide family friendly, year-round temperature-controlled swimming - is supportive of the ambition for swimming in the town.

"As well as addressing the local desire to see a new swimming pool in Minehead this move is in line with our objective to encourage healthy lifestyles and maximise access to health, sport, recreation and cultural facilities."

Minehead’s mayor, Cllr Paul Bolton, who has been campaigning for a pool for more than two years, hailed the decision as a major step forward.

"It’s about time! It is ridiculous that a holiday town like Minehead has no community pool," he said. "This is the ideal site - the pool would be one of the first things visitors would see when they come to the town."

But he warned there was a long way to go. "There is a history of land being earmarked for community projects and then being sold off or used for something else. We must make sure that this doesn’t happen in this case."

Town and district councillor Terry Venner said: "Fantastic news. All we want is a basic but well-designed pool in which people can do proper swimming. Aquasplash was so full of gimmicks that serious swimmers got frustrated. And if there was a smaller pool for children that would be a wonderful bonus."