OPTIONS for Banbury's new Spiceball Sports Centre have been narrowed down to a choice of two designs.

But both exceed the budget set aside for the project.

The council is also still considering whether to build the new centre on the site of the existing Spiceball or on a new plot across the River Cherwell.

At a meeting on Monday, the council's executive approved further consideration of the two designs which were chosen from proposals submitted by three companies invited to tender for the contract.

Norman Bolster, the council's executive member for recreation, said: "The preferred building site for the new centre is across the river from the existing Spiceball, but the nature and position of the site makes it quite costly to develop, "Initial design proposals have been received from three companies, and some innovative proposals have been provided, though they indicate greater costs than allocated in the total £20m budget for the three sports centres."

The council is also planning to modernise sports centres in Bicester and Kidlington.

The executive heard a report from Ian Davies, head of leisure services.

Mr Davies said: "All three companies have continued to express an interest in submitting final bids for the programme and we've identified a number of benefits of retaining two site options for the next bidding round."

The executive also heard that some bidders preferred to develop the existing site and had offered proposals to minimise loss of service during construction. The executive also agreed to review funding for the sports centre programme.

Meanwhile, the future of Banbury's open-air swimming pool is on hold until Cherwell District Council makes a decision over the Spiceball Leisure Centre. If the present site is revamped, Woodgreen Leisure Centre would have to be used by the town until the work is completed.

On Tuesday of last week groups that use Woodgreen met to set up a working party, with the aim of planning the future of the open-air pool and the rest of the site, which includes an indoor bowls green and rooms for other activities.

The meeting was organised by the Swimming Pool Campaign Group, which fought for two years to keep the pool open after Cherwell Council announced its closure.