Swimming campaigners have cautiously welcomed plans to press ahead with a controversial community pool at The Barbican in York.

Ruling Liberal Democrat councillors have pushed through their proposals for a community pool and extra housing at the site instead of an alternative county pool plan.

The community option will create £1.4million to pay for refurbishment work at the Yearsley and Edmund Wilson pools in York.

Fiona Evans, of the Yearsley Pool Action Group, said the news was welcome, despite continuing political wrangling over the issue.

She said: "We obviously welcome more money being spread among the three pools, but we have never indicated what the Barbican users should have there.

"It's a hot issue and in my opinion there are a lot more politics attached to this than concerns over pool size."

But Dorothy Nicholson, vice chairwoman of the Barbican Action Group, who spoke in favour of the county pool plan, said the decision was a "big disappointment."

She said: "It could have been a pool for the 21st century. If we are going to lose something that shouldn't be lost in the first place we might as well gain something that's worth the sacrifice.

"I'm not against helping Yearsley Pool, I just feel there should be more foresight." The Lib Dems used their majority to vote through their community pool plan which also received a narrow 51 per cent of support from members of the public.

Opposition councillors decried the move, saying it ignored the opinions of those living in the area and turned down a "once-in-a-lifetime" opportunity to bring a county standard facility to the city.

Updated: 10:20 Saturday, September 20, 2003