SWIMMERS in Radcliffe could soon be enjoying a new £1.1 million temporary facility as councillors are poised to approve plans.

The 25-metre by 8-metre temporary pool and a gym will be set up at the recently-closed Radcliffe Riverside High while plans for a multi-million permanent facility are developed.

The main swimming pool at the 46-year-old Radcliffe Leisure Centre has been shut for one year since severe weather damaged windows and dislodged asbestos.

During repairs, it was discovered the concrete columns and steelwork of the pool’s structure were decaying and corroded due to years of exposure to water and chemicals.

With repair works expected to spiral to at least £1.5 million, and the main pool to remain shut into the new year, the decision was made to demolish the centre and build a new permanent facility on the Green Street site.

In the meantime, the pop-up pool at Radcliffe Riverside will serve residents for at least a year and is hoped to open in Spring.

As well as a pool and gym, the facility will have male and female changing rooms and toilets, disabled facilities and a seating pool view area.

The temporary pool is set to be approved by councillors at their cabinet meeting at Bury Town Hall next Wednesday (December 17).

Cllr Rishi Shori, cabinet member for health and wellbeing, will present the report to the cabinet.

He said: “Many tens of thousands of people used the existing pool, and the health benefits alone of constructing this facility are very important.”

Radcliffe Riverside has been chosen as the location because there is already a sports centre at the site, it has a large car park and is close to the nearby Metrolink station.

Cllr Shori’s report flags up concerns raised by engineers about the roof and external cladding on the existing Radcliffe pool, which dates from 1968.

Experts say repairs to the whole building need to be considered, which would cost £1.5 million to start, and there are likely to be further costs and long closures over the next five to ten years.

Cllr Shori added: “We did look at putting the new temporary pool on the site of the existing pool, but we had to rule this out due to engineering concerns about the long-term structural integrity of the nearby external cladding.

“Also, we would have to relocate the temporary pool while work was carried out on a brand new centre, leading to significant costs.”

It is hoped the temporary pool and sports facilities will become a new Radcliffe centre of excellence for the 'I Will If You Will' campaign.