Have your say on lido plans

A multi-million pound improvement plan for Droitwich Spa Lido has been unveiled and the public are urged to have their say.

Wychavon has been working with Droitwich Spa Place Board, One Creative Environments, Gleeds and Wychavon Leisure to draw up plans to enhance the lido, which is already one of the district’s major visitor attractions.

The scheme, estimated to cost about £8 million, is part of a wider vision outlined in the Droitwich Spa Town Centre Investment Prospectus to make the town a national destination for leisure and wellbeing. It will also help kick-start the wider regeneration of the town centre and make the lido more financially sustainable and less reliant on Wychavon for support funding.

The proposal includes:

• An enhanced and safer entrance from Worcester Road, including a dedicated footpath to the lido.
• Wing extensions will join the existing café building with the Art Deco building which will be brought back into use.
• Replacing the existing café with a brine pool, spa and leisure facilities.
• A new café at the south end of the site for users of the lido and Lido Park.
• Upgrades to the appearance of the area surrounding the lido pool.
• Extending the lido grounds to include a new family-friendly swimming area. The current free water play area would be relocated to elsewhere in Lido Park to make room for this.

Lido users and residents are now being asked to give their views on the scheme as part of a four-week public consultation, which runs until 11.59pm on Sunday, 15 December 2024.

Feedback from the consultation will be presented to councillors, who will be asked to make a final decision on funding the scheme at a meeting in February. The lido improvement project is part of a wider package of leisure and wellbeing investments Wychavon is making in Droitwich Spa as part of its We Are Wychavon Plan.

Details of the proposal can be viewed online at www.wychavon.gov.uk/lido or at an exhibition at Droitwich Spa Library, available throughout the consultation during library opening hours.

On Friday, 22 November, representatives from Wychavon, Wychavon Leisure and Droitwich Spa Place Board will be at the library to answer any questions and listen to feedback on the proposal.

Cllr Richard Morris, Wychavon’s Executive Board Member for Economy and Tourism, said: “Residents made it clear during the consultation for the town prospectus they wanted to see the lido invested in to create a sustainable future for an asset they are proud of. I’m delighted this proposal delivers on that ask. Incorporating the brine pool also means we have an opportunity to bring the two facilities unique to Droitwich together for the first time.”

Cllr Dan Birch, Wychavon’s Executive Board Member for Health and Wellbeing, added: “The Droitwich Place board along with Wychavon Officers have done an exceptional job of getting us to this stage. This will be the administration that sees the return of brine facilities to Droitwich, and we couldn’t be prouder. We know what the lido means to our community, so I encourage everyone to get involved with the consultation and take the opportunity to have their say.”

Matt Nicol, Chair of Droitwich Spa Place Board, said: “We’re committed to supporting Wychavon’s vision for enhancing our town for both residents and visitors. The lido project has been a central focus for over a year and we’re thrilled to invite residents to join us as we take this exciting next step. The project is a result of significant effort and collaboration from many groups, including Save Our Brine Baths and Friends of Droitwich Spa Lido, to create something we can all truly take pride in.”

Nigel Grundy, Area Manager for Wychavon Leisure, added: “This is fantastic news for the town. Wychavon Leisure, who manage Droitwich Lido, is fully committed to this exciting proposal and the improvements it will bring. This project will create jobs and opportunities whilst providing a vibrant place for the local community and visitors to enjoy and benefit from.”