A £5 MILLION swimming pool and leisure complex in Poundbury could open by 2009.

A report on leisure facilities in Dorchester has recommended the closure of the swimming pool at Thomas Hardye Leisure Centre and the construction of a new complex on the Poundbury estate.

The review of the centre carried out by West Dorset District Council found it was 'poor value for money' with 'insufficient capacity' to meet the needs of the town, poor service and inappropriate management.

It added that staff at the centre were 'performing well in difficult circumstances'.

The report, which will be discussed at a meeting of the district council's overview and scrutiny committee, said that continued use of the facilities would cost £100,000 a year.

It recommends that further investment in the leisure centre should be limited to simply meeting minimum health and safety requirements until the new complex is built.

A site in Poundbury has already been earmarked for the new building which will include a 25-metre pool with six lanes and a separate learning pool.

The council report said that the Duchy of Cornwall was offering £1 million towards the new complex and DC Leisure, a private company, had expressed an interest in building and managing the scheme.

Additional facilities on the site would be at the developer's discretion once the project was put out to tender.

District councillor Molly Rennie, who represents Dorchester, said: "At the moment we're not making good use of public money putting it all into maintenance."

The proposals will have to be approved by the district council's executive group and the full council.

The way forward would then be for the executive committee to invite a leisure management company to design, build and manage a new leisure complex at Poundbury, opening in 2009/10.