Ossett couple who opened private pool to the public in planning battle

• Video report by Michael Billington

A couple who opened up their private swimming pool for public use are facing a battle to keep welcoming customers after they were told they are breaching planning rules.

Jon and Paula Gardiner started offering paid-for sessions at their home in Ossett, West Yorkshire, to cover mounting running costs.

They said demand from interested swimmers quickly became "phenomenal" – following the closure of other publicly run facilities in the area – with 250 enquiries within 24 hours of advertising on social media.

But the couple are having to campaign to keep the pool open after being told they need commercial planning approval.

Their planning application has attracted more than 160 comments of support on the Wakefield Council website, but more than 50 objections.

Mr Gardiner said there was huge demand for their facility.

"Local pools such as Ossett Academy, where swimming lessons were held up to two years ago, that has since shut, and they closed Dewsbury swimming baths, which is about three and a half miles from here," he said.

"So the demand was phenomenal, I couldn’t believe how many people wanted to hire the pool in my back garden."

Mrs Gardiner added: "Schools can’t find anywhere to take the children swimming, and where the pools are open they’re fully booked so people can’t find anywhere to take their children to swim. They’ve found a place here, and they love it."

The couple received planning consent when the pool was built in 2000, but decided to look into running it as a business venture when running costs escalated from £400 a month to £700 a week last year.

They need additional permission because charging customers to use it is classed as a change of use.

They were told to submit a new application after advertising their venture in October.

Wakefield District Housing, which manages social housing in the area, is among the objectors.

In its official comment, it said the pool could "potentially restrict access and cause disturbance" to elderly residents.

"We have already received complaints of noise nuisance throughout the day and into the nighttime hours," it said.

"We also have issues with parking in the area, blocking access which could result in assisting a potentially unwell and vulnerable person should an emergency vehicle not be able to access the property.".Local resident Pam Grace said: "One of our main concerns is that at Station Road, which is the other side of the building, there’s a gate to our property, and people have been parking there and coming through our garden to get through to there.”

Another resident, Margaret Blockley, added: "The shortcuts, which they have to pass my living room window, my bedroom window, my kitchen window at close quarters, and I feel threatened."However, dozens of users have spoken out in support of the Gardiners.

Elizabeth Morris said: "I’ve got a slight disability and the pool and the warmth, it’s perfect for me." Val Newman added: "We were always told the Ossett would get a leisure centre, and it’s never materialised. So there isn’t anything local that’s like this."

A decision date for the application has yet to be set.

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