CAMPAIGNERS have submitted a bid to buy the Temple Cowley Pools site.

Today the site goes back on the open market as the site’s protection as a community asset came to an end.

That means Oxford City Council can now sell the site to anyone – including a developer.

Jane Alexander, a member of the Save Temple Cowley Pools community group, handed in its bid yesterday afternoon.

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She said: “Our proposal is totally community focused so we would hope that the council will pick it up.

“We have had so many endorsements and messages of support.”

The city council is planning to sell off the building because it says it is no longer fit for purpose and it plans to replace it with a multi-million pound pool which is currently being built in Blackbird Leys.

But the campaigners object to this and claim it would be less expensive to refurbish the Temple Road site than build a new pool.

A value has not been placed on the site and the council has invited offers.

The campaigners have not released details of their bid or who they are working with on it.

The Oxford Mail asked the city council to confirm many bids had been received but it had not responded last night. It is understood, however, nine bids from developers have been submitted.

These will now be evaluated before a decision is taken by councillors.

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