Baths plan given go ahead (From This Is Cheshire)

Baths plan given go ahead

WORK can start on demolishing Warrington’s historic baths after plans for a new health centre were passed.

Warrington Baths

Members of the council’s development control committee agreed on Wednesday night to the radical scheme.

The Victorian baths, on Legh Street, were closed in 2003 and since then Town Hall bosses have been looking for a way of using the building.

Now the old façade will be demolished and be replaced by a state-of-the-art health centre.

Linked in with the existing nearby Garven Place, it will be the home for health services in the town centre.

Under a land swap deal, the council will now own Garven Place but no plans have yet been drawn up for its future.

Among the services at the site will be an integrated sexual health service, GP services and district nurses.

Bosses at NHS told the meeting at the Town Hall about the plans and said the new building could be open by 2011.

Dr Sarah Baker, from NHS Warrington, said she hoped work could now start as soon as possible.

However the design of the health centre, which includes parts of the current building, was slammed by councillors.

Clr Tony McCarthy (LAB-Woolston said): “I sometimes wonder where the architects are coming from.

“I thought Legoland. From a design point of view, it is very, very poor.

“I am sure it will be state-of-the-art though.”

The committee voted unanimously to back the plans.