Swanspool Gardens working group shares positive update as Wellingborough Town Council considers expressing a formal interest to NNC to oversee the site

More information surrounding the future of Swanspool in Wellingborough has been shared following a town council meeting held on September 27.

A working group that was set up in the summer to explore options for the future of the site has given an insight into the viability of Wellingborough Town Council taking over the upkeep of the site between Swanspool Parade and Doddington Road.

The recent meeting noted that the pavilion will require maintenance to be put back into frequent use, but the required improvements ‘are not detrimental to its viability’, despite usage of the building by the community collapsing since the Covid-19 pandemic.

However, it was also said that in order for the gardens to be viable to take on, there is a need to increase the community’s usage of the surrounding park.

This includes the tennis courts and bowling greens, which each require attention to be made available for public use, as they are currently not fit for purpose.

Swanspool House and its surrounding gardens and pavilion fell under the stewardship of North Northants Council (NNC) following its inception in April 2021, when the council switched to a unitary authority.

The area has since fallen into a state of disrepair, with Cllr Andrew Scarborough noting that ‘there has undoubtedly been considerable neglect’ and that ‘a huge amount can be done to make this a community asset.’

The group is not currently asking the town council to commit funds at this stage, but do believe that it is worth expressing an interest in the property to NNC.

This does not commit Wellingborough Town Council to the assets, but starts the process for North Northants Council to consider whether the assets could viably be considered for transfer in the future.

The working group consists of Cllrs Elayne Francis, Marion Turner-Hawes, William Inskip, Jonathan Ekins, Philip Irwin, Jon Paul Carr and Lora Lawman, along with members of Friends of Swanspool Gardens.

Should the proposal by the working group not be followed up on, the alternative is to no longer pursue the gardens and pavilion, meaning it stays with NNC and continues to remain largely unused by the community.