PLANS to replace the Barbican swimming pool have been abandoned - but a £4 million new pool is being proposed in Acomb to replace Edmund Wilson baths.

City of York Council leader Steve Galloway today unveiled dramatic new proposals for the Barbican site, and for swimming provision across the city.

They include scrapping the £6 million plans for a new community pool on the Kent Street coach park, which would have replaced the Barbican pool, which closed in 2004.

And the proposal features building a new pool as part of a major new sports complex on the Oaklands School site, which would replace the aging Edmund Wilson baths, in Thanet Road.

The council also plans to spend half-a-million pounds on a refurbishment of the Yearsley pool, off Haxby Road.

Coun Galloway revealed the authority was in discussions about the possible construction of a new competition-standard, eight-lane pool in eastern York, in partnership with other organisations such as the university.

On the Barbican site, a new 80-bedroom care home is being proposed, including beds for 20 people suffering Alzheimer's Disease, along with a high quality hotel and apartments. He said it was anticipated that the hotel operator would welcome use by local residents of swimming and gym facilities, which would be built at the hotel.

Across the road on the Kent Street coach park, he said there were plans for a 96-bed budget hotel, and a community centre with covered play areas for toddlers.

Coun Galloway said delays in the sale of the Barbican site, caused by local protesters led by the Save Our Barbican campaign, had resulted in a reduced offer being made.

He said he was "appalled at the actions of a handful of objectors", who had "effectively robbed the people of the Fishergate area of a council-run, casual access, community swimming pool".

Coun Galloway said the deal still represented good value for taxpayers.

He said: "It will significantly reduce the running costs of the Barbican site, while providing around £7 million for investment in new and improved sports facilities in the city."

It is understood the new proposals will not affect the plans by Absolute Leisure to refurbish the Barbican auditorium, and build new bars and restaurants. The company is hoping to press ahead with the revamp this spring, provided it has obtained a licence to serve alcohol until the early hours, and reopen the auditorium by late autumn.

The Evening Press revealed last week that an appeal against a late licence, due to be heard by York Magistrates next month, might not now go ahead.

Save Our Barbican (SOB) organisers said they feared local residents might face massive legal costs, and urged them to withdraw their appeal.

But SOB spokesman Ernie Dickinson said: "The fault for the delays in the Barbican development lay squarely and fairly on the shoulders of this Liberal Democrat council who intensified a scheme for the Barbican site and proposed such an overdevelopment that it was opposed not only by residents of Fishergate, but the Civic Trust, Georgian Society, Green Party and Labour Party.

"People living close to the site have every right to protest at what was a disgraceful attempt to over-intensify the site."

Updated: 16:13 Thursday, January 26, 2006