Plans submitted to restore 1930s Broomhill Lido in Ipswich

Leisure and sports management company Fusion Lifestyle have put in plans to Ipswich Borough Council for the site on Sherrington Road, off Norwich Road.

The plans include the restoration of the entrance kiosk - with ticket office and one half as a heritage exhibition space - to closely replicate the art deco style in which it was first built, including a replica clock tower to match the original.

There will also be an outdoor café, repurposed from the previous buffet building, with a re-fitted kitchen serving snacks, ice creams, teas and coffees.

Also in the planning application is a new health and wellbeing centre, providing a gym, fitness studio, changing rooms and accessible changing spaces rooms, refreshment area with vending machines, and first aid space.

This was the pool in 1990. (Image: Newsquest)

It will be designed in a similar style to the 1930s original building, but will "remain identifiable as a new element".

The pool will be repaired, existing changing rooms demolished to make way for the fitness suite building, and the kiosk, below-ground changing areas, groundstand, and buffet building will be restored.

Broomhill Lido has been closed since 2002. (Image: Newsquest)

The plans do not vary from the planning application previously approved in 2019. The project was due to start in 2020, but the Covid pandemic resulted in the shelving of the scheme and planning permission expired due to the impact of nation lockdowns.

The plans were received on Monday, February 12.

Since then there have been nearly two years of talks and campaigning, which resulted in an agreement at the end of last year.

Broomhill Lido was built in the 1930s and opened in April 1938. The building was listed Grade II in 2001, but has remained derelict and in a state of disrepair since closing in 2002.

The pool is expected to open again to swimmers in the summer of 2026.