Proposals for new £2 million hydrotherapy pool submitted - with plans to honour legendary politician

Plans for a brand new hydrotherapy pool for Peterborough have been submitted – and the site could pay tribute to a legendary Peterborough politician.

Dr Neil Modha exclusively unveiled the proposals to build a £2 million new pool to the Peterborough Telegraph earlier this year - when the council first announced the St George’s Hydrotherapy Pool would be ‘mothballed.’

Pool users have hit out at the closure of the old pool – but Conservative politicians, including Paul Bristow and Wayne Fitzgerald said Dr Modha’s plans could be the answer.

The new pool is planned to be built on the site of the Thistlemoor Medical Centre on Lincoln Road, which is run by Dr Modha.

Dr Modha told the Peterborough Telegraph earlier this year that he was inspired to build the pool after seeing the impact hydrotherapy had on his father.

As a result, the new pool will have a name inspired by Dr Modha’s dad, Jitendra Modha – and also by former Peterborough City Council leader and ward councillor for the area, Charles Swift, who died earlier this month.

Dr Modha said the facility would be named The Modha-Swift rehabilitation centre, and along with hydrotherapy, would offer a large range of physiotherapy and rehabilitation services.

Speaking to the Peterborough Telegraph, Dr Modha said the hydrotherapy pool would be open for community use.

A planning application has been submitted, giving potential pool users the first chance to see what the centre might look like.

The plans show the facility would be built on three storeys, with the hydrotherapy pool – and another community pool – to feature on the first floor.

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 are 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.

Dr Modha initially said it was hoped the facility could open in spring next year.

To view the plans search 22/01142/FUL on the council’s planning register.