One hope left for regional olympic size swimming pool

It seems that until or perhaps if Birmingham finally builds an Olympic size swimming pool the West Midlands region is destined to have only one pool of Olympic standard, located in Coventry. The nearest Olympic sized pools are High Wycombe, Sheffield Stockport, Manchester and Loughborough.

Thisisstaffordshire.co.uk has reported that Newcastle Borough Council has abandoned it's ambitious plans for an Olympic size swimming pool in favour of it's original plan for an eight lane 25-metre pool; Plug pulled on Olympic pool plans.

Council officers had met with representatives of Sport England for the West Midlands to talk about funding for the 50-metre pool. But Sport England said it was already in discussions with Birmingham City Council and Birmingham University to provide a new facility at the university campus, which was their preferred option.

http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/news/Plug-pulled-Olympic-pool-plans/article-457367-detail/article.html

For Birmingham to ensure it's plans to host international teams in preparation for the London Olympics in 2012 are successful we really must see an announcement and progress soon on a second regional Olympic size swimming pool. Manchester successfully built it's pool which opened in September 2000 ready for the 2002 Commonwealth Games for £30 million including a second 50 metre pool used by elite swimming squads within the basement of the building.