WORCESTER'S new £10.4 million swimming pool has finally secured the go-ahead - paving the way for the massive facility to be built at Perdiswell.

After years of talk, the city council's planning committee gave the much-hyped project the green light yesterday.

Your Worcester News can reveal how the building work could now get underway as soon as October, with the much-anticipated eight-lane pool set to open in early 2017.

Councillors described it as "brilliant" yesterday and voted it through unanimously in a huge boost to the city's sport and leisure offer.

It now means Perdiswell Leisure Centre will be completely transformed, getting a huge extension to accommodate an eight-lane competition standard pool.

Yesterday's vote also signals the end for the crumbling Sansome Walk site, which will be demolished once the new swimming pool is open to the public.

Councillor Robert Rowden said: "I welcome the fact its going ahead and that there won't be any demolition to the existing Perdiswell site.

"That won't be happening. This is very, very good."

Other members of the committee made it clear that despite backing the pool, Worcester City FC should not see it as a given that a new football ground will get the nod on the land next to it.

Councillor Geoff Williams said: "One of the issues with this new swimming pool was the possible loss of the golf and the football, the good news is that giving this the go-ahead doesn't mean any loss of that.

"We have to consider this as being entirely separate to the football club application.

"There's no objections from the highways (experts), I move that we approve this."

The complex will boast an eight-lane 25-metre main pool with seating for 250 spectators, plus a dedicated viewing area for disabled people.

It will host regional competitions which will put Worcester on the UK map as a swimming destination for the first time ever, ending the need for swimmers to travel to Gloucester or Wolverhampton in order to compete.

There will also be an 18m x 10m learner pool with a moveable floor, suitable for everyone from toddlers to pensioners, meaning it will benefit the whole city.

The revamped Perdiswell complex will also boast studio space, 120 gym stations, a cafe and a refurbishment of the existing sports hall.

It had been debated on and off by councillors in the last three years, with concerns regularly being raised about the costs.

A bid has been made to Sport England for £2 million to help offset some of the bill, with an answer due back over the summer.

The funding for the facility will also include money from the £3.1 million handed over by the University of Worcester for the council's old Orchard House complex, as well as some borrowing and the cash from selling the Sansome Walk land.

The city council's cabinet will finalise the spending details later this year.

In the past the pool project has been mired in political disagreement, with the old Labour leadership trying to get a scaled-down, six-lane £6.5 million facility approved in 2014 before it lost power.

Even when it was voted through at full council it was subject to a clear dividing line.

The current Tory leadership has since argued the city can afford an eight-lane pool.