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HODDESDON Open Air Pool campaigner John Sutton claimed he has uncovered data which shows that the borough’s favourite place to be put on a list of cherished sites is the pool.

Broxbourne Council had been asking residents to nominate buildings they value in the local area which are not on the statutory listed buildings register but could be of great importance to the community.

Mr Sutton, of Bucklers Close, Broxbourne, said he understands there had been 45 nominations for various favoured structures in the borough which people named as worthy of protection on a Local List.

Of those, more than half, he claimed, are for the pool site where many families enjoyed summers in the picnic field or splashing in the pool and sunbathing on the terrace.

But last week the Mercury reported how the pool is set to be flattened following a vote by Broxbourne councillors.

Director of environmental services Jeff Stack told members that a bid by a community group, led by Mr Sutton, to take on the pool was not cost effective.

A business plan requested £227,218 to bring the pool back into use – but a condition survey put the figure at £700,000 to £900,000.

Nominations for the Local List closed at the end of 2010.

They include historic or architectural interesting building and structures around the borough which are not currently protected from alterations, extensions or demolition but would benefit from some form of protection.

John said: “The council asked for people to nominate structures and the biggest response was for the pool itself.

“Talk about the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing.

“They asked the community what they would like to be protected and put up on a pedestal.

“The community has responded and they are going to knock it down.”

A council spokesman said the list of nominations is due to be published shortly.

He added: “Applications for conservation area consent and planning permission have been submitted to demolish the changing, administrative and plant rooms at the former Hoddesdon Open Air Pool and to infill the pools but retain and enhance the setting of the adjacent Grade 2 listed building, the Spinning Wheel.

“The applications aim to remove 1970s buildings which are in an unsafe condition. These applications are currently the subject of public consultation.

“Consideration of these applications will acknowledge the local list nominations and consider the same factors that would determine whether or not the buildings would be placed on the local list.

“If the council is minded to grant conservation area consent for the demolition of the buildings, the application would have to be referred to the Secretary of State for determination.”

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