PLANS to revive Saltcoats' outdoor swimming pool are edging ever closer to becoming a reality.

It comes after the Splash group behind the bid to bring back the lido confirmed that the feasibility study and engineer’s reports have been completed.

And as the group’s founder and chair, Irene Campbell told the Herald: “It’s basically telling us yes, it’s possible, it can happen.”

As they now move onto further stages, there will be “no half measures” throughout the process of creating the tidal pool.

With the help of UK Future Lidos - a group of campaigners collaborating and developing new lidos across the UK and Ireland - a top architect has created his vision for the pool.

Chris Romer-Lee, “one of the world’s leading” experts in tidal pools, has now etched out his plans for the stretch at the Saltcoats seafront with similar swimming pools in Oslo and Bondi on the outskirts of Sydney helping to drive his designs.

He has been working closely with Saltcoats-born Irene, who has been delighted her dreams of reviving the pool are now coming to fruition.

Irene first shared her vision with the Herald back in mid-2021, after she grew frustrated at having nowhere safe to swim during lockdown with indoor pools closed.

She had fond memories of the former pool from her time growing up in the town - and so the idea to return it to its former glory was born.

Speaking about her aspirations for the pool, NHS manager Irene said she hopes her Splash group can bring free and safe open swimming back to Saltcoats, and that the “one of a kind” design can help attract visitors to the town.

She told the Herald: “It’s all looking really good and feels very possible, that this could get done. In 1933 when the Saltcoats pool opened, it was considered state-of-the-art, it really was.

“Now, 90 years later, we are hoping to bring back a state-of-the-art structure, which has been designed by a leading architect. I don’t think there is anything like it in Scotland. We are at a very exciting stage.

“It has annoyed me for years that the pools have just been lying there. It was during Covid that I got a real bee in my bonnet about it. Now it’s all driving forward.”

The next stages for the project will see the public consulted on the plans - with the concept design officially revealed to the public at an event to be held in Saltcoats Town Hall on Wednesday, April 26, at 7pm.

After this, it will be all systems go for Ayrshire’s only tidal pool - as funding bids are submitted, fund-raising plans put in place, and plans are submitted to the relevant authorities.