RESIDENTS on Oxford’s biggest estate have said if they do not fight for their park now, it could be the first step to losing their green space forever.

Oxford City Council plans to build a £9.2m swimming pool on the Pegasus Road park in Blackbird Leys.

Work had been due to get under way this month, but nearby residents submitted an application to turn the park into a protected ‘town green’. This will delay work for a number of months and, if successful, will mean builders cannot touch the site.

But the Oxford Blackbirds football club is worried the move could also stop it using the park.

William Clark, one of 14 people who submitted the town green application, said he believed the club would not be affected.

He said: “All the football pitches presently on this site have been excluded from the application, which will allow those individuals the right to participate in this activity. As the football pitches are not included in the application there will be no problem in obtaining insurance.

“It is my view that this valuable slice of real estate, if not defended with this application, will be the subject of further planning applications.”

Temple Cowley Pools and Blackbird Leys swimming pool will close once the proposed new pool is complete.

Mr Clark said: “We have never been against the swimming pool, just where it would be sited.

“The council is proposing to erect this structure on a known flood plain, which will impact the residents along Pegasus Road in inclement weather.”

Mr Clark, who lives in Pegasus Road, said the build would bring down the value of houses and increase insurance costs and traffic. He said the council-agreed extra 20 spaces were “woefully inadequate”.

Oxford City Council spokesman Chris Lee said: “The application does exclude some parts of the site. However these areas do not match the current number and layout of pitches in the park.

“There are four adult pitches and three mini pitches at Blackbird Leys Park, not just two pitches as shown in the application.”

He said issues of flooding had been dealt with in the application process and were “not a problem” as the build was outside the zone of high flood risk.

He added: “It is recognised that there are local congestion and parking issues immediately opposite the leisure centre. Steps would be put in place to mitigate these problems.”

The application is being considered by the county council.