"Protesters fighting a legal battle to stop Derby City Council demolishing a swimming pool told a judge they wanted enough compensation to cover the cost of repairs.

As a five-day hearing at Birmingham High Court drew to a close yesterday, Gayton Community Association told Judge David Oliver QC that their priority was to keep Gayton pool in Littleover open.

Alex Dumbill, for the group, said: "The only reason the association brought this case was that they saw the bulldozers on the horizon and had no other option.

"A derisory award of damages would be little more than insulting to the members of the community association. In my view, the best approach to damages would be the cost of the repairs."

Earlier in the week, the council estimated repairs at £800,000. However, the community association said the figure was more like £115,000.

At the end of the hearing, Christopher Harrington, who launched legal action against the council with fellow trustee Alan Willis, said the association was not interested in being compensated. He said: "The pool would be an immeasurable loss to all our members.

"All along we have not been seeking financial damages, just to see the pool open again, at least until the end of our lease in 2013.""

(Via Protesters fighting a legal battle to stop Derby City Council demolishing a swimming pool told a judge they wanted enough compensation to cover the cost of repairs.As a five-day hearing...: .)

| pools at risk | 17 December 2007; 7:13:46 PM |# | | |