A MAJOR plan to build new homes on the derelict site of the city’s former swimming pool on Sansome Walk has been given the green light by council chiefs.
Worcester City Council’s policy and resources committee agreed to go ahead with the development of new housing with the number of homes subject to negotiations with potential developers.
However councillors have given the thumbs up to 20 parking spaces on the 21-acre site, exclusively for the use of residents of the adjoining Chestnut Street.
Council bosses hope the move will address the chronic shortage of parking space on the road and residents in the area had previously been able to use the swimming pool car park.
A strip of land at the site will also be sold to the neighbouring Wood Terrace Community Bowls Club, to provide a driveway to the club entrance.
Committee members also agreed tthe site’s public footpath and an area of mature trees, known as Sansome Fields, will be retained as part of any future development.
The city’s old swimming pool closed its doors in December after more than four decades of city residents making a splash to make way for Worcester’s new state-of-the art, eight lane pool which opened its doors as part of the £10.5million revamp of Perdiswell Leisure Centre.
City Council chiefs agreed in January that Sansome Walk should be demolished because of fears of vandalism should the 2.1 acre site remain derelict for a long period of time.
Initial fears the site could have been used as a pay and display car park appeared to have been thwarted as the site is ear-marked for housing in the South Worcestershire Development Plan.
Despite its inclusion in the planning blueprint for Worcester for the next three decades, a number of councillors made the case for extra car parking.
However, Coun Louis Stephen, chair of the committee, said: “The committee weighed up a range of options for the site before making its decision.
“I believe the housing option carries more weight and the site is allocated for housing use in the South Worcestershire Development Plan.”
Demolition work is not expected to start until details of the new housing scheme have been finalised.
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