The future of an Amersham swimming club may be thrown into doubt if plans to build a new state-of-the-art leisure centre in the town are not given the green light.

Members of Amersham Swimming and Diving Club and employees at Lindfield Pre-School nursery have hailed Chiltern District Council (CDC) plans to replace the “outdated” Chiltern Pools with a new community facility in King George V Road– which includes a pool, gym, nursery and library.

However, the plans faced a setback last month as CDC’s planning committee deferred the proposals after members raised concerns over the number of parking spaces and the “carbuncle” design of the development.

Members of Amersham swimming club currently use Chiltern Pools, as well as other leisure centres in the area, however chairman Peter Roycroft fears the club’s days will be numbered if the 50-year-old facility is not replaced.

He said: “The current swimming pool is 50-years-old – we are finding that a lot of things are not working quite as they should.

“This us a great opportunity for us to have something we can use which is fit for purpose.

“If we don’t get a new pool the current one will literally fall apart and we won’t be able to use it.

“It will no longer be safe or viable for us to use. If we don’t have an Amersham site, we can’t continue. A swim club has to have a home.

“Amersham is really quite proud of the swimming club it has. It is very inclusive and very open, and with a new pool we will be able to continue doing that for another 40 years.”

Employees at Lindfield Nursery – which is currently based at Chiltern Youth Centre – said they are “really excited” by the plans as it means they will be able to move on to a permanent site at the leisure centre, if plans are approved.

Nicola Feakes, who works at the nursery, said the current building “is way beyond its sell- by date”.

She said: “We are in the youth centre at the moment and have been for the last 40 years and I don’t think a lot of people know we are there.  That building is way beyond its sell by date.

“We will be the nursery on the first floor of the new building, so that is really exciting for us. As a charity we can’t afford our own building. We have had a look around the area but there is nothing that suits us and our needs.

“To be part of that building, it will reward us for all of the work we have done in the community. He have helped disadvantaged children, and special needs children – we are really excited about it.

“It will be great to have our own building. At the moment we have to pack away on a daily basis and we can’t put children’s work up on notice boards.”

Councillors voted against the plans in February, calling for more work to be carried out on parking, the design of the building and establishing the overall impact the leisure centre will have on the surrounding area.

The application will be considered by CDC’s planning committee before it is presented to full council for a final decision.