Blackbird Leys swimming pool: Town Green legal bid abandoned

The city council is now free to build the pool on land next to the centre

An £8.5m pool complex is set to be built in Oxford after a legal bid by residents to have the land awarded Town Green status was abandoned.

Campaigners took Oxfordshire County Council to The High Court in April over its refusal to protect land next to Blackbird Leys Leisure Centre.

But construction of the eight-lane, 25m pool and a teaching pool is to go ahead after legal aid was withdrawn.

It is anticipated that building work will start soon.

Mike Rowley, cabinet member for leisure services at Oxford City Council, said: "There's no further decision to be taken.

"We're hopeful that building work will start sometime within the next couple of months."

The city council submitted the plans to replace pools at Temple Cowley and the existing pool at Blackbird Leys, in 2011.