MONMOUTH could be left without a swimming pool for almost two years.

Residents were told last year that their pool would be closed for 12 months but new plans to be brought before councillors tomorrow (25th June) reveal a different story.

Monmouthshire County Council (MCC) is now looking to build a 25 metre, six lane pool instead of the original 25 metre four lane pool.

Initially, councillors were told that building a six lane pool would be

financially unfeasible. However, after examining a new plan for the location of the pool, costs for a six lane facility have significantly reduced from £7.73 million to £5.168 million. This brings it below the cost of £6 million for the original four lane pool.

Originally, the pool was to be built adjacent to the existing leisure centre, but new plans look to build it in the footprint of the new Monmouth Comprehensive School.

Costs will be funded by Welsh Government through its 21st Century School business case including a £1.168 million contribution from Monmouthshire County Council (MCC).

The report to go before councillors tomorrow shows the six lane pool would generate a profit increase of £87,637 more per annum than the four lane pool.

Councillor Bob Greenland, cabinet member with responsibility for leisure, libraries and culture at MCC, said the current pool will close at the end of this year and re-open in September 2017.

Councillor Greenland said: "The original proposals saw a new pool in a separate building, ready for us as near to 12 months as possible after closure of the existing one.

"The project board driving this exciting development has always aspired to the highest quality building to match the excellence of education provided by the school.

"Costings showed that over £2.5 million could be saved if the pool was incorporated within the school building.

"That has meant that not only can we maintain the high quality, but we can now meet public aspirations for a six lane pool.

"The downside of the decision is that the build time for the new pool has to coincide with that of the school.

"We therefore expect the pool to close at the end of this year and be ready, along with the school, for September 2017. If it is at all possible we will open the pool a little earlier."

Josephine Binmore, a member of the Monmouth Swimmers group, said: "As a member of Monmouth Swimmers and a regular and long-time swimmer, I am delighted at the revised proposal to aim for a six lane, 25 metre, new public pool rather than the smaller four lane pool.

"I am very concerned at the projected increased time during which there will be no public swimming pool in Monmouth. I am sure all users of the pool and concerned parents of children who need to learn and practise swimming would urge that everything possible should be done to reduce this time.

"A number of concerns were put forward regarding the original plans for the changing area and if, as seems possible from the new proposal these have been addressed, this will be very welcome.

"We would appreciate more information about what new arrangements are planned for the changing rooms so that they can be used, as now described, by the school and the public at the same time."

Monmouth's current swimming pool has to be demolished to make way for Monmouth Comprehensive School's new 21st Century School building.

Councillor Greenland is seeking another meeting with Haberdashers' School to strike an agreement on whether GP referrals can use their pool. He said he could not comment on this further until after the meeting.