Former pool's date with the bulldozers

Buy photos » Soon to be no more: Hewell Road baths. Picture by Nick Hands. 5211008NHR2.

WORK to demolish Hewell Road Swimming Pool is expected to get underway by the end of this month.

Planning permission is being sought to pull down and level off the site which was home to the borough's swimming pool for more than a century prior to its closure in January this year following the completion of the revamped Abbey Stadium.

If the move is given the go-ahead it is hoped work could begin on Tuesday, July 24 and be completed by early September.

A spokesman for Redditch Borough Council said demolishing the building was aimed at ensuring it did not become a target for vandals, trespassers and anti-social behaviour.

"There are also ongoing costs relating to ensuring the building is secure. No decision has yet been taken on the future development of the site."

The land is likely to be used for housing and was believed to be being looked at as one of the potential sites the previous Conservative administration was considering as part of its plans to begin building council houses again.

A report is expected to be published looking at the costs of such a scheme, potential sites and other options open to the council to increase the supply of affordable housing such as gifting the land to a housing association.

Council leader Bill Hartnett said: "We are looking at all the options for the site and no determination has been made. All we agreed before the election was a report so we could look at all the options. We need to know what's feasible and deliverable for whoever wants to build on that site for whatever purpose."

Regional news »