Councillors look set to give the green light for a major project to replace the paddling pool in Warwick's St Nicholas Park.

Described as needing "substantial repair," plans to replace the pool and another at Victoria Park in Leamington Spa were backed by Warwick District Council's cabinet in February.

And now with funding secure, councillors will vote next week (September 4) whether to press ahead with the scheme.

"The paddling pools in Victoria Park, Leamington Spa and St Nicholas Park, Warwick are both in failure and need substantial repair with both paddling pools being unfit for purpose and increasingly liable to failure causing increasing costs to maintain operational use of the paddling pools as outlined in the cabinet report of February 2024," a council report said.

Since February the council has secured a £50,000 grant from the King Henry Endowed Trust towards the improvement works.

Meanwhile section 106 payments - money drawn from housing developers - of £786,000 have been received from Crest Nicholson for its new estate on Montague Road.

This will be used to cover the costs at St Nicholas Park.

Full costs for the project have not been revealed and are in a confidential section of the council's report.

Should cabinet decide to press ahead with the scheme next week, planning permission would be required for the works.

This will give members of the public the chance to comment on the scheme.

The pool at St Nick's was closed briefly this spring for some small repair works.

"Cabinet agreed to repair works at St Nicholas Park Paddling Pool so that it could operate over the summer of 2024," the report added. 

"Officers organised for repair works to be completed and the pool reopened in May 2024 on schedule. 

"As per the cabinet decision, the Victoria Park paddling pool has remained shut for summer 2024 for refurbishments ready to open in 2025."

The council hopes the new pool in Warwick will be ready for May 2025.

See the full report here.