NEW plans for Grange Lido which feature a heated swimming pool are being readied for submission to South Lakeland District Council (SLDC).

The plans have been put together by Save Grange Lido (SGL), an organisation working to get the pool in use for the first time since 1993.

According to SGL’s plans, the restored lido ‘facility’ would feature a 50-metre swimming pool and another, heated, pool, as well as a cafe and a gym.

Plans to restore the building and surrounds, submitted by SLDC last year, are expected to be put before the council’s planning committee at the end of this month.

In July 2019, SLDC reported around £2 million would be needed to make the lido site “safe, stable and accessible.”

At the time, Cllr Jonathan Brook, deputy leader of SLDC, said: “Intervention is required now to save this important community asset before it is too late.

“This is a significant project with a considerable capital commitment from SLDC but that will be money well spent to safeguard this vital part of our area’s cultural heritage for future generations.”

And the intention of SGL’s new plans is to take the lido project to the next stage, should the initial restoration work go ahead. They feature a splash pool, paddling pool, a heated swimming pool, a cafe, a reception area and a gym.

“We’ve listened to advice from a number of stakeholders and revised our exciting designs,” said David Dawson, SGL company secretary.

“We’ve got grant applications in the pipeline to help us fund that work. We must also thank the Friends of Grange Lido whose continued support has enabled us to get this far.”

He added SGL was “looking forward” to further developing its plans so that a planning application could be put in “later this year”.

SGL is currently fundraising to bring its plans to fruition.