A FORMER Worcester parliamentary candidate has issued a plea for Sansome Walk pool to not become a car park - saying the public's views should be heard.

Councillor Joy Squires, who is now deputy leader of the Labour group, has urged the city's Conservative leadership to not defy householder's wishes.

As your Worcester News revealed earlier this year, the city council is looking at options for the land once the crumbling site is demolished under plans for a replacement £10 million pool at Perdiswell.

Arboretum Residents Association is concerned that despite it being earmarked for housing in the South Worcestershire Development Plan (SWDP), the money-strapped council is eyeing up possible car park use as a cash cow.

During a debate about it in a full council meeting this week, Councillor Mike Johnson, who sits in the Tory cabinet, admitted there is an "economic aspect" they will take into account when deciding.

Councillor Squires asked him to "outline all the options potentially under consideration" during the meeting.

Councillor Johnson, cabinet for sport, retail and leisure said in summary they were selling the land for homes or car parking, which could include room for residents, telling her it will be considered in the autumn.

Councillor Squires said: "Eighteen months to two years ago I did a model of community engagement, including with Arboretum Residents Association, 800-plus residents."

She said the option to sell it for housing "remains the view of local people in every respect", saying the wish of householders is "very clear".

Councillor Johnson said: "The process you've taken gives us a result which will be taken into consideration.

"But there's also an economic aspect which has to be taken into consideration."

There is believed to be some difference of opinion within the Conservative leadership over what to do with the land once the pool is knocked down.

The current draft of the SWDP – which sets out plans for where new housing can be built up until 2030 – includes an allocation for 33 new homes on the site.

It will only be demolished once the new pool at Perdiswell is up and running, which is set to be early in 2017.