New plans revealed for hydrotherapy pool at Peterborough's Thistlemoor Medical Centre

Plans for a brand new hydrotherapy pool in Peterborough have been submitted to the city council.

The plans for the pool at the Thistlemoor Medical Centre in Lincoln Road will now be considered by planning officers.Proposals for the new hydro pool had been submitted last year, following the announcement of the closure of the St George’s pool.

However, the Thistlemoor plans were withdrawn by Dr Neil Modha in June. Dr Modha said the proposals needed to be redrawn following feedback from hydrotherapy users.

He said he had been consulting with users of St Georges about the design of his pool – which is set to be named in honour of his father, Jitendra Modha, and legendary city councillor Charles Swift.

Original plans had the hydrotherapy pool on the first floor – but the new proposals will see the pool, which will measure 8m x 4m, placed on the ground floor.

The pool will have two changing rooms suitable for use by disabled patients who require assistance, with a hoist system to transfer a patient from the changing rooms into the hydrotherapy pool. There will also be another changing room for the more physically able pool users.

There will also be a gym on the ground floor for use by patients with a physiotherapist.

On the first floor, there will be a minor operations theatre, with a supporting recovery unit to allow patients to recover form minor procedures prior to being discharged.

On the second floor there will be a total of 8no. bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms, these are intended to accommodate rehabilitation patients who require medium to longer term care.

Dr Modha first revealed plans to build a hydrotherapy pool last year, telling the Peterborough Telegraph the building would cost £2m.

It was initially hoped that works would be finished this year.

The city currently has no hydrotherapy services, after a trial at Lime Academy in Orton was stopped due to a lack of take up of services. Users had said the sessions were too expensive.

There has been anger that demolition work has started on St George’s pool, after it has been empty since the decision was announced.

To see the latest application in full, search for 23/00843/FUL on the council’s planning website