The final detailed application to build a brand new community swimming pool at Oaklands has been submitted to City of York Council's Planning Committee this week (21 June). 

Plans include a £5.2 million investment in the existing facilities, which would include a 25m, six lane swimming pool, with a new changing village. If the proposals are agreed, the site would also include a learner pool built alongside, suitable for babies, toddlers, families, fun sessions and beginner swimming lessons.

Proposals also include building a new hydrotherapy suite, which would be open to residents with disabilities and rehabilitation needs, such as those recovering from injury.  Staff and customers from the Yearsley Bridge Day Care Centre, have been involved in influencing the plans for the hydrotherapy pool and changing rooms.

As part of the development plans, the proposals include expanding the existing gym at Oaklands and, if agreed, child care facilities would be added to meet the needs of the customers on site. 

If the plans are successful, all the new facilities would be fully accessible for disabled people and will be open to the public weekdays, evenings and weekends.  It will also be used by sports clubs, community groups, schools and other organisations.

The overall design incorporates a number of proposed measures to increase Oaklands' energy efficiency and ensure that it is environmentally friendly.  These include maximising the insulation (to twice the level required under current Building Regulations in a large proportion of the new extension) as well as recovering heat from the extracted air.

Solar water heaters, covering a third of the pool hall roof, will be used to heat the pool water and the showers, with biomas wood pellet boilers used to heat the building and pool. 

The need for artificial lighting will be reduced, both by using the latest energy saving light controls and building the pool hall's walls from 'Kalwall' which allows more natural daylight to enter.  Water will be conserved by using harvested rain to serve the toilets. 

If agreed, the new Oaklands facilities would replace Edmund Wilson Swimming Pool and become part of the site for the new York High School.

Andy Laslett, from the council's Leisure team, and Dave Ellis, head of York High School, will present the plans to local ward committees over the next few weeks.  Visuals of the floor plans and a 3D movie 'fly through' will also be shown.  They will be at Woodthorpe and Dringhouses Ward Committee on Monday 9 July, at Dringhouses Primary School at 7.30pm, and the Westfield Ward Committee meeting  on Wednesday 11 July at Oaklands at 7.30pm. 

The planning application may be viewed on City of York Council's website, www.york.gov.uk