DEMOLITION will begin in early August of the historic swimming baths where Olympian Rebecca Adlington trained.

Campaigners who fought for 12 years to preserve the Victoria Leisure Centre have conceded defeat.

It comes after the Government granted Conservation Area consent to Nottingham City Council, making way for parts of the historic structure to be knocked down and rebuilt.

Mat Anderson, from Save Victoria Baths, said the decision was a very sad day for democracy.

He said: "There's no more campaigning we can do.

"There's no way we can legally challenge that decision. I sincerely hope that the council do commit themselves to building a replacement."

The Save Victoria Baths group fears the new building will not be as solidly put together as the current one.

Mr Anderson said: "I know there are some people within the campaign who would like to keep a close eye on the council while the building is being built, because there are all sorts of corners that could be cut to save money."

The city council expects the new baths to be opened and completed in spring 2012.

A spokesman said: "We won't deviate from the plans which we submitted to the Secretary of State and Planning. The development will be under constant monitoring by English Heritage.

"This exciting new leisure centre will be finished to a high standard and provide state-of-the-art leisure facilities."

The Victoria Baths first opened their doors to the public in 1850, and were the first swimming pools in Nottingham.

The clock tower section of the building – which will be preserved – was built as part of a major refurbishment in 1896.

Double gold medallist Rebecca Adlington used the Victoria Baths in training for her triumph at the Beijing Olympics.

Rebecca's club, Nova Centurion, used to use the pool, but switched to Beechdale when plans to close the centre were announced in 2008.

The new centre will offer a six-lane family swimming facility with separate children's pool and splash play area, a new café and shop space, and fitness and health suites.

The £9 million plans were given planning consent by the council's development control committee in May 2010, but the council could not give itself Conservation Area consent to demolish parts of the council-owned building.

This had to be ratified by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Eric Pickles.

City council leader, Councillor Jon Collins, said: "I welcome the Secretary of State's approval for this ambitious scheme.

"I'm pleased he has agreed with us on the merits of the development and how it enhances the area."

The campaign to save the Victoria Leisure Centre began in 1998, when the city council announced plans to shut it, along with Noel Street Baths, in Forest Fields.

The council intended to replace the two pools with a £12 million leisure complex on the Forest Recreation Ground, but the scheme was abandoned in 2003.

Save Victoria Baths reformed after the city council announced plans to shut the Victoria Leisure Centre in February 2008. It said the building needed £1.3 million of repairs which it could not afford to carry out. Rebecca Adlington's mum, Kay, remembers taking her daughter to the centre at 6am every Tuesday and Thursday for seven or eight years.

"It was a lovely building so it is a shame (it is closing)," she said.

"With some of the really modern centres with glass fronts there's no character.

"At least there was history with that place and it did have quite a lot of character.

"I'm pleased it's still going to be a leisure centre."