Ed and Lucy approached Preston Pools to design and build an indoor pool at their Southport home. As a wheelchair user, Ed needed a pool designed around independent access and upper-body fitness training — but the brief was clear that the room should feel like a modern family pool hall, not a clinical facility. The whole family had to want to use it daily.
Designing for full accessibility without losing the calm of a luxury pool hall takes careful detailing — chair lifts, level-deck edges and handrails can easily dominate a space if not thoughtfully integrated. The pool also had to support Ed's exercise routine while remaining a fun, safe environment for the children. The cedar-clad building, with its sharp angles and large glazing, set an exacting aesthetic standard for the pool itself.
We specified a 10m × 4m level-deck pool with a constant 1.2m depth — consistent footing throughout, no sudden depth changes, and a flush poolside that supports dignified entry and exit. A chair lift was integrated into the pool edge, and a counter-current swimjet positioned for upper-body strength training. Large-format porcelain tile runs from ceiling to pool base, unifying the room visually.
The finished pool hall is a masterclass in blending a modern building into its environment — cedar cladding, sharp lines, and large openings creating a genuine indoor/outdoor feel. The accessibility provisions are integrated rather than imposed, and the result works as both a serious fitness facility for Ed and a family pool. The children run down the garden after school every day to sail their inflatable unicorns.
Photography from across the build, capturing the construction shell, the finished pool, and any integrated features.
Every Preston Pools commission begins with a conversation. We will visit your property, listen to your vision, and help you understand what is possible within your space and budget.
