First glimpse of new £13m West Bromwich swimming pool

Plans for a new £13 million pool in West Bromwich are back on despite spending cuts - and this exclusive artist's impression shows the first glimpse of what it will look like.

The image has been revealed as it emerged a site has been confirmed for the new pool on land at the junction of Moor Street and Bromford Lane.

The pool will be located near to the new £10m West Bromwich Police Station, which is due to open next summer. The site earmarked has been vacant for many years and has been a magnet for anti-social behaviour.

It had originally been planned to build the new leisure centre on the site of the Jesson playing fields in Greets Green. However, the plans were met with opposition from nearby residents.

And last month council leader Councillor Darren Cooper threw cold water on the scheme saying there was "serious doubt" it would go ahead as the authority battles to make savings of £75m over the next four years following coalition Government budget cuts.

Councillor Ian Jones, cabinet member for jobs and economy at Sandwell Council, said: "The town and that location will benefit from a lot of footfall going into there and we hope it will attract more people into West Bromwich."

Keith Heyes, head of cultural services at Sandwell Council, said: "The site is confirmed and we have done consultation so people are broadly happy with the site. The money isn't one hundred per cent confirmed until we have got the budget settlement."

Work is now progressing, but it is not yet known when building work is expected to start on the site. Planning permission has already been granted to build an £8.8m swimming centre in Tipton at the junction of Alexandra Road and Thursfield Road