£20m plans to build new swimming pools

New swimming pools are planned for West Bromwich and Tipton in a £20 million development, the Express & Star can reveal.

Sandwell's decision-making cabinet plans to fast track the proposals, meaning the new facilities could be up and running by October 2011.

Under the plans, a new West Bromwich leisure centre will be created, with a 25 metre pool, a learners' pool, a gym with 100 machines and four court sports hall.

The Tipton pool, which will replace the outdated Tipton Swimming Centre will also include a 25 metre pool and fitness centre.

No sites have been identified for either pool as yet, although they will be built on council-owned land. Sandwell Council leader Steve Eling said: "We anticipate spending around £12 to £13 million on West Bromwich and £8 to 8.5m on Tipton.

"We are actively looking at the best sites and setting up a cabinet working group to drive this forward. The money will be identified within the budget – £20m in capital projects for two centres is deliverable."

West Bromwich has been without a swimming pool for almost a decade, after West Bromwich's Gala Baths were knocked down in 2000.The council plans to borrow cash for the pools and will build on existing land to minimise costs.

In an Express & Star survey at the beginning of the year nearly a third of voters said they wanted to see The Public turned into a swimming pool.