Fresh plans announced for former swimming pool site in Crewe

17 September 2024

Cheshire East Council has announced fresh plans for the former Flag Lane Baths site in Crewe.

Local charity Always Ahead has been developing plans for the former Crewe swimming pool site – hoping to transform it into a community hub where people could spend leisure time and access support. 

It was one of several regeneration projects being developed with support from the Government’s Towns Fund and overseen by Crewe Town Board.

However, due to significant cost increases and delays with the project, the board has now taken the decision to withdraw support for it and has asked the Government and Cheshire East Council to reallocate the remaining grant funding to support the completion of other projects within the Towns Fund programme.

The board has also backed fresh plans by Cheshire East Council for a different use for the site – a new alternative provision school that could accommodate up to 75 pupils from Crewe and the surrounding area.

Tony Davison, chair of Crewe Town Board, said: “This decision has not been taken lightly and has involved extensive discussions with Always Ahead, Government officials and Cheshire East Council to see if this project could still be achievable by the end of March 2026, which is when the grant funding must be spent by.

“But concerns about the structure of the building and rising costs – that now far exceed the budget available – means this is not possible.

“We must take action now to ensure the grant funding from the Towns Fund stays in the town and can be used positively elsewhere, or we will lose it altogether.”

Mr Davison added: “As a board, we’re very keen to see an alternative use for this site brought forward and we welcome this new proposal from the council for an alternative provision school.

“We recognise the need for this in Cheshire East, particularly in Crewe, and the benefits that it could bring – both the support and opportunities it will provide for young people, and in ensuring the form Flag Lane Baths site does not remain vacant for the long-term.”

Recommendations to withdraw funding for the original project and progress an alternative use for the site are subject to approval by Cheshire East Council’s economy and growth committee at its meeting on 25 September.

Any development of the site will also be subject to other approvals, including planning permission.

Councillor Michael Gorman, deputy leader of Cheshire East Council and chair of it economy and growth committee, said: “While we are of course disappointed that the plans by the Always Ahead charity cannot be realised, we are pleased to have begun positive discussions with the Department for Education and an academy trust about plans for a new alternative provision school instead.

“We understand that the former Flag Lane Baths is their preferred location for a school of this type, especially given the close proximity it will have to ‘The Dome’, which will be built on the former Oak Street car park and will be staffed by highly-skilled youth workers. 

“As part of our discussions, we will be pressing for the façade of the former baths to be kept as part of any development, alongside the site being used as some form of community facility.”

Read the full report to the economy and growth committee on 25 September.

David Edwards, of the Always Ahead charity, said: “Contractual costs for this project are £12.8m. Even by phasing our plans, we would need to raise an additional £2m by the end of October to ensure the project could be delivered by the end of the Government’s Towns Fund programme in March 2026. 

“Therefore, with a heavy heart, we agree with the town board that this project cannot be delivered. 

“We would like to thank the local community for the support they have shown us over the years since we began developing our vision for the baths.

“We are also pleased to hear that the council is moving forward with alternative plans, and we are supportive of the proposals that have been put forward.”