SWIMMING pool campaigners in Leominster were on the crest of a wave this week as the starting pistol was fired for construction of the town's new pool.

The pool, measuring 25 x 12.5 metres with a 50 sq. metre learning bay, will be built as an extension to the Leominster Leisure Centre building at Coningsby Road. Construction work at the site will start in March or April and could take a year.

Herefordshire Council has set the completion for July 2005 but the date is considered to be a 'cautious' estimate. Campaigners hope the pool could be completed much earlier.

Roger Hunt, chairman of We Want Our Pool, was delighted with last week's decision by the council's cabinet to put the building job out to tender in January.

"It's brilliant news for Leominster,'' he said. "We are getting a terrific response from members of the public and local organisations for our appeal for a quarter of a million pounds for the public contribution.

"We are having to raise this money because we wanted the best and biggest pool we could get."

Councillor Roy Stockton, cabinet member responsible for the project, said Leominster would get "a first class pool."

The council - which is borrowing money to meet the costs - had shown it had the "political will" to pursue the major project. That was being matched by the efforts of the community, he said.

Scores of community fundraising events are in the pipeline. Pledges of cash support are rolling in from businesses and parish councils. The latest include £1,000 from major Leominster employer Frank H Dale and £500 each from Kimbolton and Luston parishes.

Long delay

Last week's county council decision ends a long period of uncertainty and upset. The sudden closure of Leominster's popular Sydonia pool on health and safety grounds in March 2002 caused uproar.

A long delay ensued in planning a replacement. Two bids to get money from the Sport England sports lottery fund came to nothing as the organisation's coffers ran dry because of a lottery ticket sales slump.

The new council leadership elected in May realised it would have to 'go it alone' to pay for the pool.

Last week's decision disappointed Bromyard where long-cherished hopes for a community pool have been dashed. The cabinet stressed it could only provide one pool in North Herefordshire "in the foreseeable future."

Roy Stockton said: "Clearly, building a separate pool for Bromyard would not represent the best use of council resources. We should instead focus our efforts on building a first-class facility in Leominster."

Roger Hunt, a former mayor of Leominster, said he had every sympathy for the people of Bromyard. He hoped that a way could be found to provide a pool there in due course.

Detailed plans of Leominster's proposed new facility have gone on display at the Info Shop, Corn Square.

The timetable is:

l January 12, 2004, out to tender

l February 9, 2004 - return of tenders

l Early March 2004 - award of contract

l Work expected to start on site March/April

l Estimated completion is July 2005.

The former Sydonia pool has been demolished and the site levelled as a recreational open space.