THIS is the long-awaited £16.8m swimming pool plan for Blackbird Leys.

Oxford City Council today unveiled its design for the metal-clad facility, to go next to Blackbird Leys Leisure Centre, in Pegasus Road, and is seeking your views.

If the new pool goes ahead it means the existing Temple Cowley Pools will be closed and the land sold to help fund the project.

This has angered many Temple Cowley residents and traffic and parking at the new site is likely to cause further controversy.

Council chiefs expect visits at the leisure centre to rocket from 140,000 to 375,000 when the new facility opens. The plan would also close the smaller Blackbird Leys Pool.

Bob Timbs, executive member for leisure partnerships, said: “It is a five-star facility that you would expect in the private sector.

“If people have any worries then come and have a look at the designs and give us your views.”

Although the planned exterior is unlikely to change, the council has launched a three-week consultation to gauge public opinion, particularly on facilities within the building.

It will feature a small “fun pool”, a learner pool and an eight lane 25m competition pool.

Seating for 250 people would mean it would host regional swimming galas, a key ambition of City of Oxford Swimming Club, officers said.

The floor of the main pool will be able to move up and down to accommodate different ages and abilities.

“Village” style changing, with cubicles for both men and women in the same area, is also included in the design.

The pool will be below ground level to restrict the height of the building. Officers hope the final version will be little taller than a domestic house.

Yet council officers believe traffic and parking may be one issue of concern.

Its 100-space car park will be increased by 25 spaces and an overflow area could be created on the grassed area.

Bosses believe it can cope with more visitors as they say the leisure centre is under-used.

A report is being drawn up examining the impact of extra cars on every junction back to the Cowley roundabout on the ring road.

Director of city services Tim Sadler said: “What we are really interested in is the layout of the pool and what gets kids excited.”

Campaigners collected a 10,000-signature petition against the Temple Cowley closure, saying it should be refurbished.

Yet the council insist the Temple Cowley Pools costs too much to run and maintain.

Leys mum-of-two Katie Gamble, 28, welcomed the new plans.

Mrs Gamble, who runs Ley Family Fun parent and toddler group, said: “It would be great for Blackbird Leys, the kids love swimming.

“Blackbird Leys has a bad reputation that it doesn’t deserve half the time. It is a great community to live in. It shouldn’t be a problem for people to come over from East Oxford.

“We have been going over to Temple Cowley so it is not that much of an issue.”

The £8.5m building cost of the new facility will be funded through borrowing and will cost the council £16.8m over 25 years.

Final contracts are set to be agreed in April 2011 with building to start in the summer and the new pool opening in autumn 2012.

The designs will be displayed in all council leisure centres for public comment.

They can also be viewed at oxford.gov.uk/consultation. The consultation ends on December 17.