SWIMMING and diving clubs have welcomed plans to repair Trowbridge Sports Centre swimming pool.

Leaders of Trowbridge Amateur Swimming Club and West Wiltshire Diving Club say they can’t wait for their youngsters to get back into the pool.

Wiltshire Council announced last week that it intends to allocate £800,000 to the centre on the Frome Road.

The council’s ruling cabinet pledged £500,000 towards structural repairs and a further £300,000 towards continuing maintenance of facilities

The move will ensure the pool can stay open for another five years while the council decides where to build a new sports and leisure centre for Trowbridge.

Cllr Alison Bucknell, cabinet member for leisure, said: “Assuming the repairs are approved, works would be actioned with the aim to re-open to the public by the end of September 2020.”

Melanie Sweetman, head coach and founder of the diving club, said: “I think it is wonderful news for our community.

“We’ve been without diving now since December and having had to travel across the west of England to get training, I’m just hoping that they’d be able to consider putting diving in the new facilities.

“We have a council which is very interested in supporting our community. They didn’t have to say they would spend that amount of money to repair it.

“We are a very lucky community and I can’t wait to get back diving.”

President of Trowbridge Amateur Swimming Club, Garry Knight said: “It is great news the council have made this commitment. Obviously not just for Trowbridge Swimming Club, but all the swimmers who are coached by the leisure provider.

“It’s a well used pool by the community and it’s well needed.”

That will be three months later than planned. The council had hoped to re-open the pool ready for the start of the school summer holidays.

It has been closed since December 23, after structural examinations revealed a need for urgent repairs to the steel framework.

The cabinet also pledged to invest in a new leisure centre, which would include swimming facilities for Trowbridge.

Cllr Bucknell added: “This to be taken forward in conjunction with the Future High Streets Fund with recommendations and options from this work to be brought back to cabinet.”

A council spokesman said: “There is a significant amount of work to be undertaken, including an assessment of potential sites, before any build commences.”