An £8.5m (US$12.85m, €9.89m) pool complex in Oxford that was originally scheduled to open last September has finally been given planning permission after a legal bid by residents to have the land awarded Town Green status was abandoned.

The new pool, which will be located in Blackbird Leys, almost ended up being cancelled after campaigners took their case to the High Court over its refusal to protect the land but the case was thrown out after legal aid was withdrawn.

The new facility will include an eight lane, 25m pool and a teaching pool. The new pool will be considerably to cheaper to run at a cost of £150,000 (US$226,700, €174,580) compared with the £360,000 (US$544,000, €419,000) it costs to run Temple Cowley Pools - which are set to be closed once the new facility is open for business.

On the legal troubles that have plagued the proposal, Mike Rowley - cabinet member for leisure services at Oxford City Council, said: "It's good news for Blackbird Leys and good news for Oxford. Sense has won."