THE old Sansome Walk swimming pool site will be sold to the YMCA and Sanctuary Housing association, councillors have agreed.

City Councillors at the Guildhall voted for the sale, which will enable the land to be used for a replacement for the YMCA building in Henwick Road which has been sold for student housing.

Worried residents of Arboretum in Worcester packed the city council meeting hoping to persuade councillors not to sell the site for social housing – but were disappointed.

A new centre might offer 76 rooms for young people in studios and one bed apartments. The charity also wants to build a ‘hub’ where young people can register their own start-up businesses and use work spaces and broadband.

The housing association wants to build 22 two-bed houses for shared ownership.

It was emphasised in the meeting that details such as the size and appearance of any buildings would be dealt with through the planning system – and that the only decision to be made on Tuesday was whether to sell the site.

Alan Moorhouse of Worcester YMCA told the meeting: “We think this is a fantastic way to provide genuinely affordable housing for young people in the city.”

“It is absolutely not a hostel.”

Mr Moorhouse said most of the tenants would either be in work or in education and training, and would be charged a rent of £100 per week.

Three local residents spoke against the proposals.

Rebecca Lowe said: “There has been no consultation with residents. This has been done confidentially, and it feels underhand. We have had no opportunity to speak against it. We don’t think the council are getting best value for the land and why hasn’t it gone out to tender?”

“The impact of 76 young people will affect a delicately balanced area which already has its problems.”

Other concerns included the impact of extra traffic and demand for parking and the size and scale of any buildings and their impact on neighbours and low-level crime, noise and anti-social behaviour.

Joy Squires, one of two councillors representing Arboretum drew applause when she said: “We should take time to pause and talk with residents, not plunge in prematurely.”

Deputy leader of the council Marc Bayliss said that Conservatives on the Policy and Resources Committee had wanted to use the space for a car park or green space and it was Labour and Green councillors who had voted to use it for social housing.

He also quoted the chairman of Arboretum Residents Association as saying that residents wanted the site to be used for housing – though members of the public replied they hadn’t meant such high-density housing.

Councillor Chris Mitchell, who represents St Clement ward said: “I’m the councillor for the ward where the YMCA is now. In seven years I’ve had one complaint about anti-social behaviour – it’s extremely well-run, so residents’ minds can be at rest.”

Councillors, with the exception of Cllr Squires and her Arboretum colleague Cllr George Squires, voted to sell the land to the YMCA and Sanctuary Housing, for an undisclosed sum, but urged the two organisations to make a ‘meaningful consultation’ with residents before submitting a planning application.