An abandoned swimming pool building in Sansome Walk in Worcester is one step closer to being demolished, with the site being readied for housing.

Central government has granted Worcester City Council £750,000 to help with the demolition and clearance of the site from the Land Release Fund intended to make it easier to get affordable housing schemes built.

The city council will also receive £180,000 to help make the site of the former children’s centre The Pines in Perdiswell available for housing.

A spokesman for Worcester City Council said: “We have just become aware that our grant application was successful. The land has been allocated for housing in the South Worcestershire Development Plan, and it has been agreed by the Policy and Resources Committee. The council’s planning team are already working on the project.”

One of the issues with the demolition is that the building uses the dangerous substance asbestos.

Councillor Joy Squires represents Arboretum ward at the Guildhall, encompassing Sansome Walk.

She said: “I’m delighted this money is available to help with the demolition. It’s a very complex job - the pool was built in the early 1970s when less was known about the dangers of asbestsos.

“The city council is working closely with the Health and Safety Executive to make sure the demolition is started.I will also be keeping in touch with residents because this will have a significant impact on them.”

The pool has remained shuttered since January last year when the new Perdiswell pool opened – the city council wanted to knock the complex down as soon as it could because it worried it could be a magnet for vandalism and that trespassers could injure themselves.

Local residents were opposed to a mooted scheme to turn the site into a money-spinning car park.

MP Robin Walker said: “The fund is designed to help affordable housing schemes which might not be quite profitable enough to get off the ground.”

Fifty houses could be built on the swimming pool site.