Plan to restore Health Hydro main pool to near-original glory
Swindon Borough Council has applied to its own planning department for permission to start work on the second phase of a significant restoration and refurbishment of the late Victorian building build by and for the staff of the Great Western Railway.
And if approved the original decorative brickwork around the stained-glass window, could be revealed after decades of being hidden by peeling paint.
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The steel trusses holding up the roof will also be painted in a colour more reminiscent of the hydro's early 20th-century heyday.
Other parts of the extensive plan are less obvious, but include improved ventilation of the main pool hall, better heating and cooling and better drainage of the pool.
The plans also include the improvement and restoration of the roof over the pool.
The planning application says the intention is to: 'Build upon features uncovered as part of the Phase 1 works, going beyond a simple repair of contemporary finishes, to allow the conservation of the main pool hall.
'The base goal is to substantially improve upon the current presentation of the hall. Here, modern finishes and a series of modifications have resulted in a diminished overall impact of this generally highly original (and highly significant) space.
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'The current decorative scheme is a result of the 1987 refurbishment works. The blue, grey and brilliant white paint and tile selections do not sit well within the historic fabric, and painted surfaces have been widely damaged by historic moisture issues.'
The report to planners says it would be 'a step too far' given budget constraints to paint all the fixtures in their original colours : 'a palette of complementary colours is proposed for the soffit in off white and steel trusses in brown and cream, This is not dissimilar to the tones used in the 1936 decorative scheme.'
A mock-up picture shows this use of colour and the main window edged in pale brown, with the upper end of the wall around the window displaying the original two-tone zig-zag brickwork.
The application says this is not the limit of the council's ambitions for the Grade II*-listed buildings and further works might include bringing back the Small Pool for 'water-based activities that could include a learn-to-swim programme, private hires, pool-based exercise and hydro-therapy' and a full restoration of the Turkish Baths and spa 'complemented by a series of treatment and relaxation and ' Integrated community health and wellbeing - a combination of, primary care; mental health; acute services; social care; community services; family planning; midwifery.'
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