COUNCILLORS have chosen the most expensive of three schemes for a new swimming pool in Bacup.

The £1.5 million design by Salford-based HBG Higgs and Hill Northern Ltd was the favourite of all the pools suggested as a replacement for the crumbling Bacup Baths on Rochdale Road.

But councillors believe it is also the only one which will win Lottery funding because it is designed as a centre of excellence for disabled swimmers.

The suggested design includes a swimming pool, a training pool, changing rooms and cafe areas.

Now representatives of the company are to meet councillors to finalise the design and appoint a project team. The firm has been asked to trim its costs slightly and come up with a more imaginative appearance for the building, which will be sited next to the Leisure Hall on Burnley Road, and a greater variety of facilities for disabled people.

But it has offered to take the project up to the stage of submitting a bid for the Lottery funding free of charge. The council will only have to bear the £9,000 architect's design bill.

Leisure Committee chairman Councillor Lawrence Forshaw said: "We have been told this is the best design. And my own feeling is that the only chance we have of Lottery money is by creating a dual-purpose swimming pool which is a centre of excellence for disabled swimmers as well as offering facilities for non-disabled swimmers.

"If we do this we have every chance of Lottery funding. If we just ask for an ordinary pool we have no chance."

Other designs came in at £859,388 and £1.2 million.

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