Major plans for new hydrotherapy pool at Peterborough doctor surgery set to be redrawn - as original proposals scrapped

Plans to build a state of the art new hydrotherapy pool at a doctor's surgery in Peterborough have been withdrawn – with new proposals set to be drawn up with a larger pool included.

Dr Neil Modha revealed his proposals for the pool at Thistlemoor Medical Centre in New England last year, following the announcement that the council run St George’s Pool would be mothballed.

Council documents have revealed that the plans for the pool have been withdrawn by Dr Modha yesterday (June 8) – but today he has confirmed the scheme is not dead in the water.

When exclusively revealing his proposals to the Peterborough Telegraph in April last year, Dr Modha said his state of the art pool would cost £2 million, and he was hopeful it would be opened within the year.

Plans were submitted in August last year, when Dr Modha said the pool would be named in honour of his father, Jitendra Modha, and legendary city councillor Charles Swift.

The original plans show the facility would be built on three storeys, with the hydrotherapy pool – and another community pool – to feature on the first floor. There were also plans for physiotherapy and rehabilitation services to be included on the site

The first proposals show both the hydrotherapy and community pools have their own changing and shower rooms, and there are also patient treatment and consultation rooms on the same floor.

On the ground floor there were plans for a number of clinical rooms, as well as a meeting room and a staff room, while on the top floor there are a series of bedrooms and day rooms for patients.

Today, Dr Modah confirmed to the Peterborough Telegraph that the plans were being re-designed after feedback from users.

He said: “We are resubmitting (the plans) as suggested by the planners. We have a meeting today to hopefully finalise this ready for re submission.

"There will be one hydro pool larger in size on the ground floor so hopefully in keeping with the feedback generally received

“The size of the scheme has got larger due to this move downstairs and we have been getting the requests done such as the traffic study and the drainage aspects as requested.”