Marple Swimming Pool currently closed

[DLL]

To build a new facility will take years ! Planning, approval, funding, build.

Fast forward 5 years and it will have been all worth it.

This will however be a long long wait without a facility.

Romiley is currently overflowing, pardon the pun.

Marple needs a pool and a modern gym facility - end of.

[amazon]

It could work on that site. A brand new combined leisure facility and library could be amazing. The work would be very disruptive and there'd likely be a lot of opposition, but with the right vision and sensitivity in the design we could have something fit for many future generations. The existing library is a 60s monstrosity.

Councill ofices are not a lot diferent .

[HWL1973]

It could work on that site. A brand new combined leisure facility and library could be amazing. The work would be very disruptive and there'd likely be a lot of opposition, but with the right vision and sensitivity in the design we could have something fit for many future generations. The existing library is a 60s monstrosity.

[amazon]

That's all that was mentioned.  It was just a snippet.  A brief glimpse into what's going on.  I'm sure there will be more information on options soon enough.

But the council does own the library, the offices, the clinic, the senior citizens hall (although not the Scout hut) and the car park.  You could combine the library, pool and gym in one building to make it a "one stop shop".  Even more options if you could include  the police station and Scout hut at the same time.  The current pool site could be redeveloped as offices, maybe even the clinic and senior citizen hall.  This is all pure speculation of course. 

It could be a complex option due to the necessity to relocate and shuffle lots of facilities in one go.  But it would offer lots of options with a convenient location.

Lets hope it all fits in .and if it does go ahead not to many objections .from the not in my Back yard .

[andrewbowden]

What consitutes the "built" areas? Does it mean the existing buildings - library, council offices, bowling green, or the car park, or both, or neither?

That's all that was mentioned.  It was just a snippet.  A brief glimpse into what's going on.  I'm sure there will be more information on options soon enough.

But the council does own the library, the offices, the clinic, the senior citizens hall (although not the Scout hut) and the car park.  You could combine the library, pool and gym in one building to make it a "one stop shop".  Even more options if you could include  the police station and Scout hut at the same time.  The current pool site could be redeveloped as offices, maybe even the clinic and senior citizen hall.  This is all pure speculation of course. 

It could be a complex option due to the necessity to relocate and shuffle lots of facilities in one go.  But it would offer lots of options with a convenient location.

[marpleexile]

Although there's no news, minutes from the Friends of Marple Memorial Park's recent meeting unveil one of the possible options being looked at:

The initial response from councillors was very positive, however, one councillor was concerned about potential development in the park arising from ongoing consultations relating to the possibility of relocating Marple swimming pool. Apparently one of the options being considered is a total redevelopment of the “built areas” within the park.
https://www.marplememorialpark.org.uk/memorialpark/FriendsSeptember2018.pdf (page 3)

Obviously there will be other options - no doubt redevelopment of the existing site is one of them.  And no one's saying that there definitely will be a new pool in the park area.  It just shows that various options are being considered.

What consitutes the "built" areas? Does it mean the existing buildings - library, council offices, bowling green, or the car park, or both, or neither?

[andrewbowden]

Although there's no news, minutes from the Friends of Marple Memorial Park's recent meeting unveil one of the possible options being looked at:

The initial response from councillors was very positive, however, one councillor was concerned about potential development in the park arising from ongoing consultations relating to the possibility of relocating Marple swimming pool. Apparently one of the options being considered is a total redevelopment of the “built areas” within the park.
https://www.marplememorialpark.org.uk/memorialpark/FriendsSeptember2018.pdf (page 3)

Obviously there will be other options - no doubt redevelopment of the existing site is one of them.  And no one's saying that there definitely will be a new pool in the park area.  It just shows that various options are being considered.

[My login is Henrietta]

The only places it cuold go and still be reasonably central are playing fields which would mean The Rec, Hawk Green common, Marple Cricket Club or Marple Hall School. Otherwise you're looking at a green field site or land from Memorial or Brabyns Park.

Let's face it, none of those options would ever get through local campaigners.

It may not be "local campaigners" who stop it - it could be the law. Is Hawk Green's common registered as a village green. the definition being "A green is any land on which a significant number of inhabitants of any area has indulged in lawful sports and pastimes, for 20 years, as of right." or as a common? On that definition Marple Rec could also qualify for registration as a village green although if I remember correctly from my History teaching days, the rec could be registered as common land if it had been in free use by the public for more than 60-something years (I'm a bit woolly on the actual period of time involved as I've been retired nearly 10 years.) and was not fenced off - which applies in both cases

[longtimenologin]

Not sure that the owners of the new house with the big windows looking across the Rec to the hills would be best pleased with a new leisure centre there!
Isn’t there a deed about the use of that land ?

[shambles]

Yes, Marple needs a decent leisure centre but I don't think the present site is suitable, mainly to due lack of space. If the present building is refurbished it will close fully for a long period !
Although people may be opposed to building it on the 'rec' this is land that was given to the people of Marple many years ago but is little used, partly due to it being waterlogged most of the year by water coming from the old limekilns/canal and now not going to the pond/lake on Fieldhouse Lane.
A leisure centre could be built at the Strines end with a 6 lane 25 metre pool having level access to Arkwright Road, and a gym at a higher level with level access to Strines Road.
If this site were to be used the existing gym on Stockport Road would remain in use until the new one is completed.
I have lived in Marple for over 50 years and have been swimming 2/3 times a week for over 15 years, but never at Marple.
When a new pool opens I would happily use it instead of Romiley

[amazon]

My preference would be the dog toilet, sorry, Rec.

which one that many .

[marpleexile]

So something could be done.  With a bigger site, you could do a lot more.  But yeah, where...

My preference would be the dog toilet, sorry, Rec.

[amazon]

I found this interesting PDF from Sport England about community pools.  It comes with suggested site plans - see page 29 onwards
https://www.sportengland.org/media/4653/affordable-community-swimming-pools-r003-2012.pdf

Looking at them, there's definitely scope to fit a 4 lane 25m pool on site, probably 5 if you lose the open are on the side of Stockport Road.  The plans don't include gym facilities, but it's not beyond wit or wisdom to imagine them upstairs as now.   Sure a studio could be squeezed in there as well. 

The current building is not at all well optimised - looking at old photographs, the changing rooms and reception are are a more recent extension and are laid out in a rather hap-hazed way.  The storage areas never seem to be particularly sensibly laid out.

So something could be done.  With a bigger site, you could do a lot more.  But yeah, where...

Brybns park a lot of it is not used now for Football .

[andrewbowden]

It's tight but I'm assuming they could expand into the land inbetween the building and Stockport Road. The building would have to be more efficiently designed but it is possible. If they were to CPO the properties on the corner it would work better and still be a lot cheaper than buying a new site.

I can't think of any other suitable central site and an "out of town" position wouldn't work for many people and would have millions in site acquisition costs

I found this interesting PDF from Sport England about community pools.  It comes with suggested site plans - see page 29 onwards
https://www.sportengland.org/media/4653/affordable-community-swimming-pools-r003-2012.pdf

Looking at them, there's definitely scope to fit a 4 lane 25m pool on site, probably 5 if you lose the open are on the side of Stockport Road.  The plans don't include gym facilities, but it's not beyond wit or wisdom to imagine them upstairs as now.   Sure a studio could be squeezed in there as well. 

The current building is not at all well optimised - looking at old photographs, the changing rooms and reception are are a more recent extension and are laid out in a rather hap-hazed way.  The storage areas never seem to be particularly sensibly laid out.

So something could be done.  With a bigger site, you could do a lot more.  But yeah, where...

[amazon]

It's tight but I'm assuming they could expand into the land inbetween the building and Stockport Road. The building would have to be more efficiently designed but it is possible. If they were to CPO the properties on the corner it would work better and still be a lot cheaper than buying a new site.

I can't think of any other suitable central site and an "out of town" position wouldn't work for many people and would have millions in site acquisition costs

What about parking not being a killjoy on this