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Oldham Council approves leisure plans that exclude diving facilities
Oldham Council has approved leisure plans that will see the town lose its diving facilities - despite a campaign against the moves which was backed by Olympic star Tom Daley.
The council's plans will see four leisure centres close and be replaced with two new ones with pools that only reach a maximum depth of 2m - not the 4m required for board and sub-aqua divers.
Those wanting to use such facilities would have to travel to Manchester or Bury instead.
A new town centre facility will include a 25m eight-lane swimming pool, learner pool, indoor bowls hall, 80-station gym suite, two studios and a café.
A second facility at Royton would have a six-lane 25m pool, learner pool, fitness suite and two studios.
Council leader Jim McMahon said: "If money were no object then, of course, physically it would have been possible to include diving provision.
"But with so many differing interests and users to balance here it is inevitable that not everyone can be accommodated."
Campaigners against the plans included the Oldham Sub-Aqua Club and Oldham Diving Club, which accrued 3,000 signatures in a petition calling for diving facilities to be kept.