PLANS to demolish the oldest swimming pools in London have been given the green light.

At a council meeting on February 13, Lewisham Mayor Sir Steve Bullock agreed to knock down Forest Hill Pools, which were built in the 1880s.

They will be replaced with modern swimming baths at the same site which could be open by 2010.

The Victorian baths were closed in 2006 after the roof was found to be unsafe.

Sir Steve gave "in principle" approval for it to be refurbished.

But a feasibility study found the extent of the work was greater than first thought, with severe cracks in the pool tanks leaking water at an "alarming rate".

Experts said there was a high risk refurbishing the pools may not work and warned the cost of the project would be likely to spiral.

At the mayor and cabinet meeting, deputy mayor Councillor Heidi Alexander said: "There are a huge number of risks which would be associated with the refurbishment of the pools."

Director of programme management and property Steve Gough supported a new building, saying refurbishment or retaining the frontage and building behind it - another option in the report - would take longer.

He said: "The alternative options both involve quite a significant delay.

"In my opinion this scheme provides an opportunity to develop a modern leisure facility."

Forest Hill councillor John Russell welcomed the new swimming baths.

But he said the option of having two new pools, a main one and a learner one, should have been put forward earlier, rather than following the refurbishment route.

He said: "We are disappointed we faced two years of delay."

However, Sir Steve argued there were strong feelings at the time to keep the building.

Residents are hoping features of the Victorian architecture will be preserved in the new facility, which is expected to cost £9.5m and will include community space.

A spokesman for London Pools Campaign, which works to protect the capital's threatened swimming baths, said: "We are really sorry to hear Forest Hill Pools are being demolished. It's the oldest pool in London.

"On the other hand, we're very pleased to know Lewisham is committed to a replacement."