PLANS to transform the Barbican into a modern community pool have been forced through - despite cries of foul play from the opposition.

Ruling Liberal Democrat councillors have turned their back on alternative proposals to build a county standard swimming facility at the leisure centre, off Fishergate, York.

They used their council majority to push through a blueprint which also found support from a narrow 51 per cent of the public in a disputed consultation.

An estimated £1.4 million profit from extra housing built on the site as part of the plan will fund refurbishment work at the Yearsley and Edmund Wilson pools.

Opposition party members said the consultation had not been rigorously carried out.

But council leader Steve Galloway said the planning process could now begin, giving more opportunity to discuss the impact of the new development.

Speaking at a meeting of the strategic policy panel, he said: "It was not a referendum, it was a consultation.

"We have had a lot of feedback that will be quite useful when we move forward."

Coun Alan Jones said the Labour group had "grave reservations" about the consultation and that few people seemed to be aware that it had taken place.

He said: "This is not a great mandate to build a community pool.

"This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get a county standard pool in York.

"If we don't do it now, we never will."

Green Party leader Mark Hill said he wanted to voice protest against a "poor" decision that did not take into account the opinions of those it would most affect.

He said: "I have already realised that this committee is a bit of a charade, much like the consultation. I don't expect any of these proposals to go through because the majority group has already made up its mind.

"You have just settled for the maximum amount of money you possibly can. You are not thinking about the local community or the long-term needs for leisure in York."

Updated: 14:19 Friday, September 19, 2003