The Future of the Baths
Planning carefully for the years ahead
Lymington Sea Water Baths are an important part of the town's history and are still enjoyed by thousands of people today. But the Baths are old, they are built in a difficult marine environment, and parts of the site need significant work. Before deciding what should happen next, Lymington and Pennington Town Council needs to understand the Baths properly.
We are therefore carrying out a major programme of research, surveys, consultation and planning. This work will help us understand what needs to be protected, what problems need to be solved and what options may be possible.
We have not decided what changes should be made to the Baths.
That decision will come later, after the evidence has been gathered and the community has had the chance to have its say.
Why do we need to do this?
Previous surveys have found problems with parts of the pool structure and the ground beneath it.
The Baths are also exposed to salt water, changing water levels and the weather. These conditions make repairs and maintenance difficult.
We need to understand these problems in much more detail before deciding what should be done.
The aim is to find a long-term way to protect the heritage of the Baths while keeping them operational, welcoming and financially sustainable.
Supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund
In 2026, Lymington and Pennington Town Council was awarded £154,800 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, made possible thanks to National Lottery players towards the total project cost of £199,000.
This money is funding the work needed to understand the Baths and plan for their future.
It is not funding a pre-agreed restoration scheme.
No building work has been agreed as part of this stage.
Decide
Decide what happens next
Once the research, surveys, consultation and early design work are complete, the Council will bring all of the evidence together.
This will include what we have learned about the heritage and condition of the Baths, what people have told us, the options for running the site, the likely costs and the early design ideas.
The Council will then decide whether the project should move forward, what the next stage should be and how any future work could be funded.
Develop ideas
Bring everything together
Only after we understand the heritage, condition of the site, costs, business options and people's views will we start to develop ideas for what the future Baths could be like.
Architects and other specialists will then bring this information together and develop early design ideas up to RIBA 2 stage.
These will not be final designs. They will help the Council understand what may be possible, how much different options could cost and what should happen next.
Listen
Hear what people think
People who use the Baths, live nearby, visit Lymington or have memories of the site all have something to contribute.
There will be opportunities for residents, swimmers, visitors, schools, businesses and community groups to share their views.
What people tell us will help shape the next stage of the project.
Explore
Find out what might work
We will look at other historic lidos and outdoor pools around the UK to see what we can learn from them.
We will also look at different ways the Baths could be run and funded in the future or if the current model is the best fit for us.
This does not mean copying another pool. It is about understanding what has worked elsewhere and what might be useful in Lymington.
Understand
Find out what we have
We will bring together experts in heritage, architecture, engineering and the environment.
They will look at the history and importance of the Baths, the condition of the buildings and pool, the ground beneath them and the challenges of their coastal location.
The heritage work is particularly important. It will help us understand what makes the Baths special and what should be protected before any ideas for change are developed.
What are we doing?
What does “RIBA Stage 2” mean?
RIBA stands for the Royal Institute of British Architects.
RIBA divides the design and construction of a building project into a series of stages. This helps everyone understand how far a project has progressed.
Our current project is intended to reach RIBA Stage 2, called Concept Design. At this stage architects develop early design ideas based on the information gathered about the site and what the project needs to achieve. It is not a detailed design and it is not the start of construction. RIBA describes Stage 2 as the point at which the architectural concept is prepared and tested against the project brief, site information, engineering requirements and budget.
Stage
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
What we will do
Decide what the project needs to achieve
Gather information and agree what is needed
Develop early design ideas
Develop and coordinate the chosen design
Produce the detailed technical design
Construction
Complete and hand over the project
Use and look after it
We are only working towards Stage 2 at present. Moving beyond this would need further decisions, approvals and funding.