A PETITION to save Historic Health Hydro from development has gained a boost to its cause with over 5700 signatures.

This week alone has seen more than 200 new signatures and momentum keeps picking up in a bid to keep one of Swindons historic monuments alive.

The Hydro, famous for many reasons but notoriously the birthplace of the National Health Service (NHS). Which is not the only tale you will find at the Victorian building as it had dentists and chiropodists but also swimming pools and Turkish baths as well.

Now commonly thought of where generations of Swindonians learned to swim, it’s been contested as a potential site for new housing since 2016.

Greenwich Leisure Limited (GLL) announced a consultation in late 2016 to convert part of the stunning Victorian building into housing. This would have seen the area where the Turkish bath is turned into 30 flats.

An online petition on Change.org has seen a surge in signatures following the first anniversary of the controversial proposal on December 2017.

Sally Hawson, 53, runs the Facebook group Save Swindon’s Heritage and has been campaigning for more locals to back the petition.

“My main concern is that not everybody has had the chance to see it and that is my goal, to do whatever it takes to bring this into the spotlight only then will I be able to say I have done everything possible.

“It is buildings like this that give Swindon an identity, a heritage that only we can boast but if we keep turning those buildings into flats then what will we have to show. We are a railway town and we need to keep this alive, if we protect and maintain our heritage points we can make this something really niche and special.”

Community groups have the chance to submit a bid of their own thanks to the approval of the site being an asset of community value, last January.

She added: “I know of plenty practitioners who are queuing up for the chance to combine their work with such a symbolic building amongst their profession. The Working Group have created a business plan, this is an active historic building and not one that is not being used.

The Health Hydro is owned by Swindon Borough Council and GLL are the tenants.

Last year, council leader David Renard said that any possible uses for the Health Hydro needed to be explored and more detail gathered.

A spokesman for GLL said that no decisions have been made at this stage.

He said: “We are continuing to work with the petitioners and Swindon Borough Council on a thorough review of the Health Hydro in order to agree a long term, sustainable future for this wonderful facility.

“Once the ongoing condition and conservation surveys have been submitted we will be able to start an options appraisal and will be keeping everyone informed.”

The petition can be seen at https://www.change.org/p/greenwich-leisure-limited-save-swindon-s-health-hydro