A historic and cherished swimming pool in east Reading is set to become key worker housing, with plans having now been submitted.

Reading councillors backed the council’s controversial plan to turn the closed Arthur Hill pool into housing for doctors, social workers, nurses and police officers in September 2019.

Plans have now been submitted by the council, which will see the locally listed front of the building retained and 15 flats created at a cost of around £4.5 million.

READ MORE: Reading leisure operator to get £400,000 bailout from council as delay to new pools revealed

Jason Brock, leader of Reading Borough Council (RBC), said: “Over the past few months we have all seen first-hand the huge contribution that key workers make to society, both nationally and here in Reading.

“Nurses, social workers, teachers and police officers are among the heroes of the Covid 19 response.

“Public workers play a vital role, but extortionate rental prices have a major knock-on effect for recruitment for schools, hospitals, the police force and the Council.

“I am therefore delighted to see this application progress to the point where it can now be considered in the autumn.”

The front of the building would be converted, which the back would be demolished, with a new building put up in its place.

READ MORE: Huge 260-home plans at Reading golf club submitted to the council

The new homes would meet international sustainability and low carbon standards (Passivhaus) as the council drives towards it net-zero carbon target by 2030.

If approved, site works will begin in autumn, with construction of the 12 one-bed flats and three two-bed flats starting in the new year.

At the meeting in September where the proposal became council policy, Peter Burt, of the Arthur Hill campaign, called for a consultation with the community, presenting a petition signed by more than 1,800 people

But councillor Jason Brock, leader of RBC, said there was consultation with the public when Arthur Hill was closed.

Arthur Hill was closed in December 2016 after RBC said repairs had become too costly.

RBC has committed to providing a new 25m pool at nearby Palmer Park, now expected to open in September 2022 due to Covid-19, to replace the lost facility.

READ MORE: Petrol station 24-hour booze plan withdrawn after noise concerns raised

The council had previously planned to sell Arthur Hill to a housing developer, accepting a bid from One of A Kind Developments in July 2018, but the sale fell through last year.

Several other housing plans from the council have been approved recently.

At Policy Committee last month, the council approved a £2 million investment in 40 temporary ‘pods’ at Cattle Market Car Park in Great Knollys Street to rehouse rough sleepers accommodated in B&B accommodation during the Covid-19 pandemic.

And at the same Policy Committee, RBC approved the sale of the vacant Southcote Library to a housing association to become 15 new affordable homes at 70 per cent of the market rate.

Additionally, last week the Planning Applications committee approved a council plan for 46 social rent affordable homes in Wensley Road, Coley.

Cllr Brock said: “It is essential we continue to look every opportunity available to create even more affordable housing in our town at this critical time.”