A popular swimming pool used by the public in Kings Langley will be demolished to make way for a redeveloped village school.

The pool, which is in the grounds of Kings Langley Secondary School, has been used by Kings Langley Swimming Club since 1972.

However, it will be filled in by 2016 as part of a plan to rebuild the Love Lane School.

This decision comes after the Department for Education announced that property developer Interserve Kajima would rebuild eight schools, including Kings Langley.

During a parish council meeting on Thursday night, David Peacock, 74, a resident from Barnsway, which backs on to the Love Lane school said: "We can see it being used well into the evening and the night.

"It is a well-used facility in the heart of the community."

However, Frances Stickley, chairman of governors said the school was disappointed but the Education Funding Agency had made the final decision.

She said: "The rebuild we are having done is being controlled by the Education Funding Agency. They are the ones who are making decisions on the land and how it’s used in the future.

"When they came to parcel up the land for use for the future school, the school swimming pool was not going to be considered part of that future build. The school is disappointed, but this was the decision of the EFA."

Ms Stickley added: "We look forward to all the fantastic new sports facilities at a brand new sports hall and other playing surfaces the site will give us and we hope that the community will continue to use our other new sports facilities as they have shared our swimming pool in the past."

The school is hoping to move into the new site by July 2016 but will not be taking on any more students.

Councillor Ron Smith, chairman of Kings Langley Parish Council said: "I would say I’m very sympathetic to the people that do want to use it but can’t necessarily get to Watford or Hemel Hempstead."