New move to save Woolston Neighbourhood Hub is under way

A NEW move to save Warrington’s popular Woolston Neighbourhood Hub from permanent closure is under way.

Woolston Parish Council has nominated the hub – formerly known as Woolston Leisure Centre – to be listed as an asset of community value.
The borough council, which has already unanimously approved a motion calling for the hub to be saved, now has to decide whether the building should be listed.
If it is, this would give extra time for the local community – including the borough council – to come up with a plan to save the building which has two swimming pools, sauna and steam access, a GP surgery, a gym and fitness suit, a public library, dance and fitness studios and community rooms.
Estimated cost of making the hub safe to re-open has been put at about £3 million.

The parish council says the hub has been the focal point of the local community for more than 50 years.
They say that prior to closure in September last year , it was a very popular destination for local residents and was used for public swimming, school swimming, swimming lessons, swimming clubs and swimming squads. The gym and studios were used for Health, Fitness and Wellbeing sessions.
The library was used by local people across the age range from the very young, to the elderly. The GP surgery was far more accessible to Woolston residents than the alternative surgery at Padgate.

The parish council says the local community feel strongly that the facility should not be closed permanently, as demonstrated recently by the submission of more than 3600 consultation forms, petitions and several public, peaceful, demonstrations.
They also say the hub saves the NHS huge sums of money and social care costs while enhancing the quality of life of local people immeasurably.
The parish council’s submission is currently being considered by borough council planning chiefs.

Campaigners in peaceful demonstration