THE OLYMPIC legacy 50m pool project at Kelly College has taken a stride forward with a major sporting organisation reinforcing its support for the scheme.

Planning permission and ministerial approval are already secure for the £3-million project.?It will be the training ground for future Olympians and accessible to the community. The college is in the process of raising the money to install it.

There were three ten-lane 50m pools which became surplus to requirements after the London Games and Kelly successfully bid for one of them. It currently has a 25m pool.

Sport England has reinforced its ongoing support with this statement: 'The Kelly Olympic pool project represents an exciting opportunity for the South West of England to enjoy the lasting benefits of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

'It will provide both a world class training facility for swimmers across the region and first-class facility for the local community.

'Having produced many Olympians during the past three decades, the college is ideally placed to successfully manage one of the legacy pools and help create the next generation of international swimmers.

'Sport England, with ministerial backing, is supporting a small number of projects being delivered by a broad range of organisations across the country, and is working alongside the Kelly pool project to deliver a lasting legacy from the London 2012 Games.

'This exciting project will help inspire a generation and be of significant benefit to our swimming communities both nationally and regionally as well as in its home town of Tavistock.'

Expert support has also been made available from the Building Research Establishment, an ex-government body now charitably owned, which has more than 90 years expertise in all aspects of development.

Through a combination of detailed computer modelling for the pool's performance, as well as drawing on research from across the EU, the pool's energy demands will be carefully analysed and projected.

The pool is intended to be the lowest operational carbon swimming pool of its type in the UK. It will use low and zero carbon energy sources such as ground and air source heat pumps, photovoltaic and solar thermal arrays, biomass and combined heat and power generation.

Kelly will be the recipient of one of the three ten-lane, 50-metre training pools which are now surplus to requirements following last year's London games.

The largest official contractor for the event, Mace Construction Company, is also advising the college on the development of the project for which £1-million of funds have already been raised.

Director of swimming Robin Brew said: 'The support that we have received from these global organisations is fantastic and underpins our commitment to succeed with this project both for Tavistock and the wider community.

'I truly believe that the facility will not only be of significant benefit to participation and performance for all but will also be a huge boost to the local economy by attracting swimmers far and wide to visit and stay in our wonderful town.

'Our fundraising so far has received many pledges of support.'