Why it matters: After more than two decades of campaigning, fundraising battles and failed schemes, the beloved outdoor swimming pool must have spades in the ground within 22 months or everything will "unravel".
The details: Mark Ling, chairman of Broomhill Pool Trust, has warned that the council faces losing not only the £250,000 already spent on the stalled project but also tens of thousands more on the unused planning approval.
"Our concern is if works are not in progress by December 2027, the planning permission will expire, and everything then unravels," he told the BBC.
"It would be scandalous if that were lost."
What is at stake: The trust has warned that significant public investment could be lost if the project fails to meet the deadline.
The abandoned lido has been the subject of restoration attempts for years, with planning permission most recently approved in December 2024.
However, the trust says 98 per cent of the funding is in place, with £3.3m committed by Ipswich Borough Council and the National Lottery Heritage Fund having twice agreed funding in principle.
What they are saying: Ling emphasised the importance of the project moving forward quickly.
"We are not lido fundamentalists. We are here because we believe this scheme makes absolute sense – it is good for taxpayers, and it puts Ipswich on the map," he said.
"One of the finest lidos in Britain is sitting here doing nothing, so we need to make sure Ipswich does not lose out on this tremendous opportunity."
For context: The Grade II listed pool first opened in the 1930s and closed in 2002. Last summer, the National Lottery Heritage Fund withdrew nearly £7m in funding after Fusion Lifestyle was unable to provide assurances about its financial position.
What needs to happen: For the restoration to proceed, Fusion must return the lease and designs, while Ipswich Borough Council needs to take control and submit a direct bid to the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
The trust has proposed a steering committee with agreed objectives and timescales and has offered to contribute towards the council making a direct application to the heritage fund.
The council's £3.3m contribution remains ringfenced for the restoration, and the authority has pledged to work with the trust to find a way forward.
Speaking to the BBC, Council leader Neil MacDonald said the authority remained "committed to the restoration of the much-treasured lido".
"There are a number of legal and procedural matters currently being resolved with the team that was working on the project," he added.
"Once resolved, the council can start working with funders who have previously given their commitment to the project to progress the plans for the restoration."
The bottom line: With the clock ticking, campaigners are urging swift action to prevent the collapse of a project that has already consumed years of effort and significant public investment, warning that failure to act now would see one of Britain's finest lidos remain abandoned.
