Cheshire East signals return of swimming at Crewe’s Flag Lane Baths

Having officially ditched plans for a school on the site earlier this year, the council has appointed Cheshire Leisure to restore the 1930s building and bring it back into use as a community fitness facility with a pool.

Cheshire East Council has agreed to move forward with plans for the former Flag Lane Baths in Crewe, selecting Cheshire Leisure to bring the building back into use for the first time in more than a decade.

Cheshire Leisure is headed up by managing director Andrew Chandler, who runs Cheshire County Sports Club off Plas Newton Lane north-east of Chester.

The firm’s Flag Lane Baths bid came out on top after the council considered several other proposals against a range of criteria, including community benefit, heritage considerations, deliverability, funding, and long-term sustainability.

The operator’s proposals would include a swimming pool, a gym, fitness studios, education space and facilities to host community events.

Cllr Mick Warren, Cheshire East Council’s cabinet member for planning, housing and regeneration, said: “The former Flag Lane Baths is an important part of Crewe’s heritage, and we know there is strong interest from local people in seeing the building brought back into use.

“Cheshire Leisure’s proposal stood out in what was a competitive process. Their plans would preserve an important historic building while creating new opportunities for people to be active, learn new skills and take part in community activities.”

Andrew Chandler, managing director of Cheshire Leisure, said: “The commitment that Cheshire Leisure has made in securing the stewardship of the fantastic Flag Lane Baths reflects our mission to provide Crewe and Cheshire East residents with top-quality health and wellbeing facilities to add to, and work with, those already serving our local people.

“We’ve listened to what the community wants, and the new Flag Lane Baths complex will ensure everyone has access to the best environment possible to achieve their health, fitness, social and wellbeing goals.”

The road to redeveloping the Flag Lane Baths site has taken several twists and turns over the years. In 2022, charity Charity Always Ahead secured planning approval to transform the Art Deco public swimming baths into a community centre with an auditorium, a community grocery club, a heritage gallery, workspaces, outdoor sports area, and a restaurant.

However, cost increases resulted in the project being scrapped in 2024, at which point Cheshire East explored potential alternative uses for the site.

The council eventually landed on the idea of a school, giving education provider YES Trust the nod to build a 70-place school at Flag Lane, but the Department for Education seemed unwilling to support the proposals and they were pulled.