Olympians lead fight for Heath Town baths

Three Black Country Olympians are spearheading a bid to save a protected former swimming baths in Wolverhampton, which has fallen into disrepair and faced losing its listed building status.

Gold medal-winning former javelin star Tessa Sanderson is fronting plans for a Heath Town Sports Academy, alongside former judo star husband Densign White and Kerrith Brown, who attended Heath Park School before also representing Great Britain in judo.

Residents in Heath Town have been calling for action since the baths in Tudor Road were closed by the city council in 2006 and became a target for yobs.

The proposed Sports Academy could include a leisure centre offering a range of sports and after-school clubs.

Wolverhampton City Council put the building on the market in July 2009 and revealed in October it had received a "credible proposal".

But it warned developments must follow within a month or the council would open talks with English Heritage about the building's future.

The former athletes have held eleventh hour talks with council leader Neville Patten, regeneration leader Paddy Bradley and Heath Town councillor Margaret Findlay.

Councillor Findlay said today: "It is such exciting news. It has long been a bugbear of mine that this building has fallen into wrack and ruin over the last eight years so this is great news."

Wolverhampton City Council spokesman Tim Clark confirmed: "A meeting was held between the group and some very senior officers from our regeneration team. We have agreed to put together a project team together and do what we can to make it happen.

"There is a long way to go and a lot of funding to be put in place. But we are optimistic and enthusiastic about the future."

Proposals have been in the pipeline for the site to be brought back into use for some time, with residents calling for them to be redeveloped amid concerns they are attracting trouble to the area. In July teenagers climbed on to the roof of the building, disrupting the peace and resulting in a stand-off with police.