AN MP has serious concerns about plans for an Olympic-sized swimming pool and other major sports facilities near Worcester.

Mid-Worcestershire’s Cons-ervative MP Peter Luff – in whose constituency the proposed ‘sports hub’ would be built – says he wants to “pour a dose of cold water” on plans revealed in your Worcester News earlier this week.

Development firm Sir Bert Millichip Sports Ltd (SBMS) wants to build a multi-million pound sports centre but Mr Luff says more information is needed before the proposal gets his support.

“Everyone’s in favour of the county having the finest possible sporting facilities,” he said. “But not at any price. This private sector proposal may some have merit, but I have a lot of concerns about it.

“This plan is contingent on this company being allowed to build 500 new homes on greenfield land at Fernhill Heath. That’s a massive development. Other parts of it are on green belt, which is supposed to provide protection from the never-ending urban sprawl.”

Mr Luff also raised concerns about increased traffic.

“This will not be an Olympic swimming pool for the city of Worcester,” he said. “They want to build it well outside the city. People would be coming from all over to use it. That brings its own problems.

“Many people would be coming by car, and that really is a problem because junction six of the M5 is so busy already.”

Mr Luff also questioned the likely impact on existing council-owned pools.

An SBMS spokesman said he was pleased to enter into a dialogue with Mr Luff and said: “Council planners have earmarked 500 homes for Fernhill Heath. We want to go along with that. The only development of actual green belt land would be for ‘green’ sports use, such as football pitches and golf courses, and we feel this would actually reinforce the green belt buffer. Any sports buildings would go on existing brownfield sites.

“There should be no conflict with congestion at junction six because the vast majority of visitors using the hub will be travelling off-peak. And we are not competing with existing pools – this will not be a leisure pool, it will be for serious swimmers and clubs.”