A planning application has been made by Churchill Retirement Living to demolish the site and build sheltered housing. You can view the application by visiting bit.ly/oldoadbypool
This “brown-field” site was designated as a future housing site in the 2019 Oadby & Wigston Local Plan, following public consultation. Under government rules, local councils have to allow a certain number of new homes to be built in their area and also have to say where they will be built in the local plan. The local plan allows local residents, through their council, to control where development happens and protect green fields. Councils who ignore their local plan risk setting a precedent that removes these protections.
The planning application is due to be heard at a future Development Control Committee meeting. Although comments are closed, residents can still submit them to planning@oadby-wigston.gov.uk and they may be taken into by officers in their report to the Committee.
When the future of the site was being discussed, other options for the site were requested by Liberal Democrat Councillors, including returning it to parkland. However, to do this there would be very significant costs from decontaminating and clearing the site and given the continued cuts to council budgets by the government, this option was not affordable. Since the Oadby Pool was originally built, the parkland used has been replaced many times over in Oadby, with the addition of the large area of Brocks Hill County Park.
Funds from the sale of the site will be used to regenerate community facilities in Oadby, such as improvements to Ellis Park. New up-to-date tennis courts will be located in Uplands Park.
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