Hampton Pool could be set for a major expansion but the plans are already being criticised by groups of residents and pool users.

The Hampton Pool Trust has submitted a planning application for a major expansion of the High Street pool. Hampton Pool Action Group (HPAG) is strongly opposed to the plan, which they say is mostly unrelated to swimming activity.

The Hampton Pool Trust said a larger gym would allow equipment to be better spaced for easier access, especially for those with disabilities.

It added that it looked at creating another pool but this involved hard to recover costs in comparison to an expanded gym and studio.

While HPAG members agree that improvement of facilities is needed, they believe a transformation to a leisure centre is more suitable for a larger town.

Andrew Pratt, of HPAG, said: “Hampton pool is special. It’s about enjoying the pleasure of swimming in healthy fresh air, which is arguably cheaper to run and with far less environmental impact than an indoor pool.”

He added: “The proposals submitted to the council will not only jeopardise financial security of the pool, they could lead to its possible closure. They are also environmentally unsustainable.

The action group question many design aspects of the plans, including a glass enclosure on the sun deck around the café, which they say is visible from Bushy Park.

The Hampton Pool Trust said the second storey of the building would not be visible from publicly accessible areas of Bushy Park.

Mr Pratt said: “The air-conditioning, dehumidifying, glass-cleaning and other ongoing maintenance of this scheme with seasonal fluctuations, is simply untenable.”

The scheme, designed to increase visitor numbers with a gym, concerns some residents because the area is said to already be heavily congested.

A Hampton Pool Trust spokesman said: "

A spokesman for Hampton Pool Trust said: “With the future of open air swimming at the heart of the plans, the Trust have been working for many years to retain the unique character of this local facility whilst meeting long-term financial and sustainability challenges.

“It must be stressed that although there is opposition from a small number of vocal people, the extensive consultation carried out by the Trust over the last six years has found that many, many more pool users are supportive of the improvement and understand the benefits and long-term financial security the scheme will provide.

"The number of people objecting to the planning application is less than 100 whereas there are 6,000 users of the pool.”