Almost 2,000 swimming pools could be lost forever by the end of the decade unless the government and local authorities act now to replace or refurbish ageing facilities.
Swim England has warned in its new A Decade of Decline: The Future of Swimming Pools in England report that there will be a huge reduction in the amount of water space available by 2030, which could threaten the future of aquatic sports.
The looming shortage is based on pools which were constructed in the 1960s and 1970s and are coming to the end of their lifespan, while not enough new facilities are being built to replace them.
While the coronavirus pandemic has exacerbated the issue, it is not a direct cause for the dire prediction.
The report states that ‘if we continue on the current trend, the number of available pools in England will fall by 40 per cent by the end of the decade – down from the current 4,336 to around 2,468’.
The report highlights that almost a quarter of local authorities (23 per cent) in England have a deficit of at least one average-sized swimming pool.
The national governing body is calling on local authorities short of water space to include the provision of new pools in any Levelling Up Funding application they make.
Swim England is also asking local authorities to conduct an analysis of its pool stock to understand if it has the right pools in the right place to meet the needs of the community.
The governing body has a dedicated facilities team, which provides expert guidance on new and refurbished pool designs and facility management.
