The old pool in Huntingdon Street was closed in September 2003 as the facility had fallen into a state of disrepair.

Last year Huntingdonshire Regional College announced £38 million plans to build new campuses on the old swimming pool site in St Neots and near Hinchingbrooke Park as a replacement to the present college site in California Road, Huntingdon.

Last week Huntingdonshire District Council gave planning permission for the colleges, and the purchase of the St Neots site should now see money being available to build a new pool for the town.

Cllr Paul Ursell, chairman of the town council's Swimming Pool Trust, said they now had to wait for the funding to come through.

He said: "We are still waiting but are very hopeful the scheme is progressing. We should have news in the next couple of months when the sale goes through.

"Planning permission (for the new pool) was granted in May and it will now go to the district council's development control panel. We have to wait for the funding."

The councillor said he was confident everything would eventually fall into place.

He confirmed the favoured site for a brand new pool was on council-owned land at Riversmead, near to St Neots Rugby Club.

He added: "Obviously a design will be sought that is sustainable and, as a trust, we will want to hear people's views."

>> New college campuses approved