Controversial plans not to reopen the Kenilworth's leisure facilities after lockdown have come in the same week as Warwick District Council have submitted a planning application for the redevelopment work at Abbey Fields Leisure Centre.

A planning application for the "Demolition of existing swimming pool and outdoor pool and redevelopment to provide two new indoor swimming pools and associated changing facilities with ancillary cafe, boundary treatment and landscaping" has been validated (January 28) for discussion by the district council's planning committee.

The application can be found on the WDC website by following this link and comes as Phase Two of the WDC Leisure Development Program.

A decision will be made by the planning committee once Kenilworth Town Council, local residents, and relevant local committees and bodies have had chance to revue the application.

If approved, the plans, which have been completed by DarntonB3 Architects, will see the current outdoor and indoor pools replaced by two indoor pools. The larger will be 25m (five lane) with spectator seating and the second a 15m x 8m family pool with access to an outdoor terrace.

Also to be built are:

• Reception, Foyer
• Café with seating area, pool viewing space and outdoor terrace.
• New prominent entrance.
• Modern wet changing village facilities.
• Group Changing Rooms.
• Associated Ancillary Accommodation.
• Accessible Car parking adjacent building.
• Accessible WC's with external access for park visitors.

The Design and Development Guide which forms part of the application states: "To successfully respond to the future requirements of Kenilworth and to provide a sustainable long term facility, the early consultation and initial cost investigations resulted in the identified need to provide new additional water area for swimmers, significantly enhanced changing provision and a new, larger 'heritage' style café space that would serve the surrounding park facilities as well as pool users."

It continues: "The existing facilities look and feel dated, the entrance and circulation areas are poorly designed; feeling lifeless and restrictive.

"There is very little activity or visual interest externally or internally, the elevations give little indication of the activities within and have no interaction with the surrounding park.

"The building needs to be redeveloped and expanded to provide a modern, attractive wet leisure facility that will significantly benefit the area, and realise the full potential of the location."

If the applications is approved then WDC is proposing the following timeline for development:

February 2021 - Commence procurement process

March 2021 - Finalise documents

June 2021 - Select preferred demolition and construction contractors

August 2021- Approval of contractors and costs by Project Board

September 2021 - Start on site (demolition)

October 2022 - Castle Farm Leisure Centre opens

December 2022 - Abbey Fields Swimming Pool opens