Stoke-on-trent sport and physical activity strategy 2009-2016

Swimming PoolsIntroduction37. The provision for swimming is one of the most challenging issues facing <strong>Stoke</strong>on-Trent.The City currently has a high level of water space, and this is deliveredthrough a combination of local authority pools (which are ageing), school pools,and the commercial sector. The static/ageing population of <strong>Stoke</strong>-on-Trent islikely to mean that the demand for swimming facilities will remain fairly constantover the period up to 2021, unless participation rates increase significantly.38. In general terms there is a need to provide for community casual swimming, theafter-school learn to swim programme, competitive swimming, and the schoolsswimming programme. The network of pools needs to be sufficient in capacity,accessible, and flexible enough to meet these requirements. Therecommendations contained within this report meet all of these needs in the mostcost effective and efficient way. The recommendations include the phasing ofpool developments/ closures linked to the schools reorganisation programme(BSF).Current Provision39. There are currently 20 swimming pools in <strong>Stoke</strong>-on-Trent which are greater than160 sq m in area. In addition to these are three smaller pools; Trentham (140 sqm), The Willows Primary School in Penkhull (120 sq m) and Kemball SpecialSchool in Fenton (80 sq m). Although the two smallest pools are used in theschools swimming programme, they are not of sufficient size to provide forgeneral community use, and fall below Sport England’s minimum size used toassess the availability of pools. They have therefore been discounted from themain pools assessment below.40. The key facilities are identified in Figure 5. This map also shows:• the size of each pool;• whether it is a pool with high intensity management and is local authority or adual use pool;• whether it is a school pool with limited community use (low intensitymanagement); and• whether it is a commercial facility.41. The buffer areas shown around each pool are 1.6km – the equivalent ofapproximately 20 minutes walking time, and the area deemed by Sport EnglandNortoft Partnerships Ltd <strong>Stoke</strong>-on-Trent Page | 107Sport & Physical Activity Strategy 2009-2016October 2009