INITIAL designs for the new interim swimming pool based in Alloa have been unveiled.

Clackmannanshire Council is pressing ahead with plans for a proposed £16.9million wellbeing hub with leisure facilities at an as yet undetermined site, but has committed to providing a temporary pool as the main project is being worked up.

Councillors heard on Thursday that the interim pool, which will be created in the Marshill Car Park in Alloa, is likely to cost almost £2.2million, but will offer visitors a 25-metre six-lane pool along with excellent dryside and wetside accommodation.

ReCreation and Total Swimming, who specialise in modular or mobile pool solutions, have now completed early designs, and councillors were given a glimpse of what the finished article may look like later this year.

Work could begin on the interim pool in the summer, and the pool should be operational by the end of the year, or in early 2023.

Council leader Ellen Forson said: "This is probably the biggest infrastructure project that Clackmannanshire has undertaken in quite a long time so we need to get it right.

"I think the interim pool provision is a really important thing and we're committed to getting this on the ground as soon as possible but we do have to go through the process."

Cllr Craig Holden, environment and housing spokesperson, added: "Let's be frank – as councillors we have very little opportunity to do some very exciting things for our community.

"But I'm very confident that the approach we're taking means we're going to have a really positive outcome here.

"I want it to be something that people look at in years to come and say 'they maybe didn't do certain things right but they did this right'." 

A steering group has been set up to oversee progress on the new wellbeing hub and inform the kind of facilities that are needed or desired.

Two potential sites have already been identified – the former Alloa Leisure Bowl and a second site at Alloa West, across the road from the Alloa West Business Park – and feasibility studies will be carried out to consider the viability, feasibility and needs of the new wellbeing hub.

A full business case will then be drawn up for the council's consideration.

Lorraine Sanda, strategic director (people), explained: "The health benefits of participation in sport, physical and wellbeing activity are well known and include enabling people to retain independence, supporting 60 social inclusion, maintaining healthy lifestyles and good mental health, and reducing inequalities for people with long term conditions. 

"As outlined in the report to council on December 21, 2021, work on the Options Appraisal process has commenced. 

"Phase 1 of this work is now complete and has identified that across the UK there is an emerging trend of replacing old traditional sports centres with new wellness hubs as part of a strategic shift towards more integrated care. 

"Most of the hubs reviewed involve a range of partners investing in the new facility and co-locating different services under one roof, including a core sports and leisure offer, with for example hydrotherapy pools, libraries, community spaces, GP practices, nurseries, outpatient clinics, adult day care, mental health services and youth services." 

Cllr Graham Lindsay welcomed the work done so far and said the council was in an "incredibly strong" position.

He added: "The interim pool will ensure that everyone has access to a swimming pool until the wellbeing hub is complete and that swimming lessons will continue to be provided as part of the Learn to Swim programme.

"It's also important to note that we'll have an asset that will be retained at the end of this and we'll use it to build on the provision that the wellbeing hub will bring."