MORE than a thousand local people have backed the latest vision for a Minehead community-owned 25-metre swimming pool and leisure centre.

If fund-raising is successful, work could start on the project, estimated to cost up to £5 million, during 2027, campaigners claimed this week.

Two local community groups, Minehead Health and Wellbeing (MHW) and Minehead Swimming and Leisure (MSL), have joined forces to work toward building a public swimming pool on the Irnham Road recreation ground and are in negotiation with owners Minehead Town Council, which has agreed in principle to the scheme.

MHW chairman Bruce Lang, a former West Somerset Council assistant chief executive, said: “We launched the community consultation to give the public an input into our project planning and have received an amazing 1,072 responses.

“We are thrilled to have received this really positive message from the public about the need for a public swimming pool in Minehead, which has been missing since the closure of the Aquasplash facility 17 years ago.

“The groups are working to fund-raise from a variety of grant funding sources.

“New opportunities will become available later this year and this public support should greatly increase our chances of success.”

The latest plans have a year-round swimming pool with a retractable roof and a gym which would form a ‘community leisure hub’ with a leisure centre, existing recreation ground facilities, and be economically viable in the long term.

Mr Lang said: “We are well aware of the uncertainty surrounding a project like this and the amount of work needed to make it happen, but we believe a 2027 start is a realistic possibility.”

He said that the final design would depend on costs.

Mr Lang said: “It will also be important to consult the surrounding neighbours as part of the planning process.

“In reality, if we get planning permission, we would have three years to start the project and my feeling is that if we do not build a pool during the present decade, it will not happen.

“We have the town council on board and you have to make the most of these opportunities.”

Mr Lang said it had been agreed that the wellbeing group would lead on delivering the project and MSL, founded by director Peter Wellstood, a long-time swimming pool campaigner, would operate the facility.

More than three-quarters of those completing the questionnaire were female.

Nearly half the respondents described themselves as inactive due to lack of facilities and the cost of exercising, and 56 per cent felt their heath would improve with more physical activity.

A total of 92 per cent said they would use a new swimming pool.

Asked how they would use the pool, two-thirds opted for lane swimming and a third for aquatic exercise classes.

Many respondents were against a ‘fun’ type pool with novelty features, in favour of something simple, rectangular, and laned.

There were also concerns that prices of admission or memberships be kept as low as possible, in order to allow for maximum use.