SOUTH Lakeland District Council has confirmed there are sufficient qualifying signatures on a petition presented by Save Grange Lido to trigger a full council debate on the controversial issue.

More than 3,000 people signed the paper petition alongside 14,000 on-line calling on the local authority to include a swimming pool when they restore the historic lido on the promenade at Grange-over-Sands.

The paper petition, the largest in the seaside town, was largely collected in businesses and was organised by the campaign group.

Amongst the signatories were a number of MPs including Owen Smith MP, vice-chair of the Parliamentary Group on Swimming, and a number of SLDC and Cumbria county councillors. The petition will now be debated at a full council meeting on December 18.

Current council proposals involve an investment of £2 million pounds to restore the Grade II listed buildings around the site but infill the pool. The petition is calling on local politicians to rule out filling in the pool.

Save Grange Lido aims to work with SLDC to restore and re-open the 1930s art deco swimming pool which closed in 1993 and has been derelict ever since. The group recently presented a business plan to councillors which will revitalise the site into a community facility providing a 50 metre Olympic-size pool with a café, restaurant and spa.

Phil Bradby, chair of Save Grange Lido, said: “The council want to restore the buildings, but their plans involve infilling the pool.

"We fully support the building restoration but think the 50 metre Olympic pool needs to be re-opened to make the lido viable a valuable community facility.

"Our experts have budgeted the repair of the pool basin and new plant at £1.2m; alongside SLDC’s project we have offered to raise funds to cover this cost.

Save Grange Lido has now launched a crowd funding campaign to complete the next stage of the project; the production of detailed architect designs from swimming pool experts Studio Octopi.

Darren Milby, co-chair of Save Grange Lido, said: “I had my happiest childhood memories in the lido and we’ve been overwhelmed by the huge local support to restore it. Our crowd funding campaign raised over £1,000 on the first day!”

Committee member Pamela Parker, who set up the petition, said: "We knew there was a huge amount of support locally to see the pool restored to it’s former glory, but this petition exceeded our wildest expectations. We really hope the council will listen to the people of Grange and work with us to restore this wonderful pool.”