Birmingham City Council has confirmed that it plans to bring the Small Heath Leisure Centre swimming pool back into use.
The swimming pool, which has been closed since 2016, will be brought back into use in the medium term as plans are developed to build a brand-new swimming and leisure facility in Small Heath which will serve the community for decades to come.
Councillor Mariam Khan, Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care, said: “Everyone is keen to see swimming facilities return to Small Heath, as since the pool closed in 2016 there has not been provision in the local area. The return of swimming facilities to the neighbourhood would help to improve health outcomes and provide an important leisure and recreational space.”
Birmingham City Council is working to bring the existing pool in Small Heath back into use, by conducting the crucial repairs that need to take place. This is complicated work and will take some time to complete, and the Council will work closely with other stakeholders from the site, including Small Heath Leadership Academy, the Library and the Youth Service, to minimise disruption to services.
This would mean that swimming facilities return to Small Heath, providing the community with a valuable resource, helping to keep the community active and healthy.
As significant work is required to bring the pool back into use, it is not yet possible to give a timescale for when this work will be completed.
Councillor Ian Ward, Leader of Birmingham City Council, said: “The Small Heath Leisure Centre has been a vital part of the Small Heath and Bordesley Green community for many years, and that is why we are also looking at plans to build a new, modern leisure facility in the area, complete with a swimming pool.
“This development would bring state-of-the-art facilities to the area, giving local people the chance to take part in sport and leisure on a redeveloped site.”
This development is in its early stages, and local Councillors are working with officers to investigate what the available options are in the locality. Once these options have been explored further, a process of community engagement will begin, in order to understand the views and needs of local residents.
This is an exciting prospect for Small Heath and Bordesley Green and would create a facility that would be at the heart of the community for decades to come. As such, it is vital that this process is taken forward carefully, and it will therefore be some time before this new development opens.