Those involved in plans for a multi-million pound swimming pool on Oxford's Barton estate are still waiting to hear if they have been allocated Lottery cash for the project.

Oxford City Council will discover next week whether it can invest a grant of £1.7m from Sport England in the scheme, which has been earmarked for the former Bayswater School site.

The money has already been agreed in principle, but a final announcement is expected next Wednesday (September 15).

Without the Lottery money the city council-backed project, which has been more than four years in the planning, will have to be abandoned.

City council planners are considering two designs, both of which come within a budget of £2.8m.

The council has set aside £1m of its own money for the project.

During a consultation exercise, local residents said a swimming complex was a priority.

If all goes to plan construction work could start as early as next year.

City council business manager Tony Stephens said: "We embarked on a feasibility study in 2000, but the scheme didn't progress very well for a while because of falling National Lottery sales, with the result there was less money available than there had been previously."