Protesters drop pool legal action

9:20am Friday 1st March 2013 in News

Nigel Gibson Nigel Gibson

CAMPAIGNERS have dropped their long-running legal challenge against Oxford City Council over the closure of Temple Cowley Pools.

The city council has long wanted to shut down the centre, which it says is in a poor state of repair, and replace it with a multi-million pound facility in Blackbird Leys.

Nigel Gibson has been fighting the decision for nearly three years and had taken the issue all the way to the High Court.

But after saying he would take his case to the Court of Appeal when a judicial review was not permitted, he has now withdrawn it.

City councillor Van Coulter, board member for leisure services, said: “I am pleased that this costly and time consuming case is over.

“The council was confident that it had acted properly and with full regard for its procedures.”

This means there is only one judicial review hanging over the closure of Temple Cowley Pools – Oxfordshire County Council’s decision not to designate Blackbird Leys Park, where the new pool would be built, as a town green.

A hearing into this will be held at the High Court on Tuesday, April 16.

Mr Coulter said Temple Cowley Pools will remain open until the new pool is completed but added that work would start “within weeks” of a favourable decision.

The new facility will have a 25-metre main pool, a teaching pool, a moveable floor, a toddler’s splash pool, a sauna and a soft play area.

It is fully funded and has planning permission, and a conditional contract has been signed with construction company Willmot Dixon.

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Comments (5)

10:28am Fri 1 Mar 13

Andrew:Oxford says...

Very good news.

Now, how about a fresh story...

Let's see the board of the Save TCP group handing over a big cheque to a charity local to East Oxford (within the ring-road of course) with all the money left over from their bumper Co-op account.

They could even work with the Oxford Mail and do an on-line poll to see which charity benefits!
Very good news. Now, how about a fresh story... Let's see the board of the Save TCP group handing over a big cheque to a charity local to East Oxford (within the ring-road of course) with all the money left over from their bumper Co-op account. They could even work with the Oxford Mail and do an on-line poll to see which charity benefits! Andrew:Oxford

3:41pm Fri 1 Mar 13

AmandaJP says...

I would rather see money not wasted on a new pool in the first place and millions saved to help people all across oxford if they would just refurbish what they already have!!!
I would rather see money not wasted on a new pool in the first place and millions saved to help people all across oxford if they would just refurbish what they already have!!! AmandaJP

6:09pm Fri 1 Mar 13

Andrew:Oxford says...

AmandaJP wrote:
I would rather see money not wasted on a new pool in the first place and millions saved to help people all across oxford if they would just refurbish what they already have!!!
Well, clearly that chapter is now closed and even the Save TCP group have accepted failure.

So who would you like to see benefit from the £lots raised by the SaveTCP?
[quote][p][bold]AmandaJP[/bold] wrote: I would rather see money not wasted on a new pool in the first place and millions saved to help people all across oxford if they would just refurbish what they already have!!![/p][/quote]Well, clearly that chapter is now closed and even the Save TCP group have accepted failure. So who would you like to see benefit from the £lots raised by the SaveTCP? Andrew:Oxford

7:42pm Sat 2 Mar 13

AmandaJP says...

Unfortunately Kevin, it looks likely that the site will be used for more student housing! I agree more social housing is defintiely needed in Oxford, there's loads of emply houses that are derilict that could be sold at low cost to people on lower incomes (stoke on trent are selling off some of their boarded up houses for really low cost to help the social housing situation)...but I'm not sure Oxford council are listening!

I'm sorry to tell you Andrew I think you're a little short sighted TCP continues to fight on, after delivering yet another petition (1500 signatures) to council, requesting the council sit down and talk with the local people to discuss in 'transparency' their plans! (they have yet to respond to this petition)

How many people do you think really understand what is happening? I agree it would be lovely to have a brand new pool in bbleys...but at what cost - two pools and a leisure centre closed, two pools already well used by schools, which will now only have one pool to use, more galas at the new pool....people will not have the access they think they will and the pool is no bigger than the one in existence at temple cowley ....also at a cost of £13 million at least....REALLY ...this is money well spent???....families can't even afford to eat at the moment...let alone swim!!!

I don't think the labour politicians live in the real world!!!
Unfortunately Kevin, it looks likely that the site will be used for more student housing! I agree more social housing is defintiely needed in Oxford, there's loads of emply houses that are derilict that could be sold at low cost to people on lower incomes (stoke on trent are selling off some of their boarded up houses for really low cost to help the social housing situation)...but I'm not sure Oxford council are listening! I'm sorry to tell you Andrew I think you're a little short sighted TCP continues to fight on, after delivering yet another petition (1500 signatures) to council, requesting the council sit down and talk with the local people to discuss in 'transparency' their plans! (they have yet to respond to this petition) How many people do you think really understand what is happening? I agree it would be lovely to have a brand new pool in bbleys...but at what cost - two pools and a leisure centre closed, two pools already well used by schools, which will now only have one pool to use, more galas at the new pool....people will not have the access they think they will and the pool is no bigger than the one in existence at temple cowley ....also at a cost of £13 million at least....REALLY ...this is money well spent???....families can't even afford to eat at the moment...let alone swim!!! I don't think the labour politicians live in the real world!!! AmandaJP

8:04pm Sat 2 Mar 13

Andrew:Oxford says...

AmandaJP wrote:
Unfortunately Kevin, it looks likely that the site will be used for more student housing! I agree more social housing is defintiely needed in Oxford, there's loads of emply houses that are derilict that could be sold at low cost to people on lower incomes (stoke on trent are selling off some of their boarded up houses for really low cost to help the social housing situation)...but I'm not sure Oxford council are listening!

I'm sorry to tell you Andrew I think you're a little short sighted TCP continues to fight on, after delivering yet another petition (1500 signatures) to council, requesting the council sit down and talk with the local people to discuss in 'transparency' their plans! (they have yet to respond to this petition)

How many people do you think really understand what is happening? I agree it would be lovely to have a brand new pool in bbleys...but at what cost - two pools and a leisure centre closed, two pools already well used by schools, which will now only have one pool to use, more galas at the new pool....people will not have the access they think they will and the pool is no bigger than the one in existence at temple cowley ....also at a cost of £13 million at least....REALLY ...this is money well spent???....families can't even afford to eat at the moment...let alone swim!!!

I don't think the labour politicians live in the real world!!!
You seem very confused.

In one sentence you have published that there will be little public access to the pool because of school use and galas.

Then you are saying there is little point in having a pool because some people can't afford to eat - that is a little unfair on the residents of East Oxford who choose to work full time with a decent wage and would like to spend money on a swim.
[quote][p][bold]AmandaJP[/bold] wrote: Unfortunately Kevin, it looks likely that the site will be used for more student housing! I agree more social housing is defintiely needed in Oxford, there's loads of emply houses that are derilict that could be sold at low cost to people on lower incomes (stoke on trent are selling off some of their boarded up houses for really low cost to help the social housing situation)...but I'm not sure Oxford council are listening! I'm sorry to tell you Andrew I think you're a little short sighted TCP continues to fight on, after delivering yet another petition (1500 signatures) to council, requesting the council sit down and talk with the local people to discuss in 'transparency' their plans! (they have yet to respond to this petition) How many people do you think really understand what is happening? I agree it would be lovely to have a brand new pool in bbleys...but at what cost - two pools and a leisure centre closed, two pools already well used by schools, which will now only have one pool to use, more galas at the new pool....people will not have the access they think they will and the pool is no bigger than the one in existence at temple cowley ....also at a cost of £13 million at least....REALLY ...this is money well spent???....families can't even afford to eat at the moment...let alone swim!!! I don't think the labour politicians live in the real world!!![/p][/quote]You seem very confused. In one sentence you have published that there will be little public access to the pool because of school use and galas. Then you are saying there is little point in having a pool because some people can't afford to eat - that is a little unfair on the residents of East Oxford who choose to work full time with a decent wage and would like to spend money on a swim. Andrew:Oxford

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