Plans for a £34 million leisure centre in Winchester have moved one step closer.

The purchase of the Garrison Ground at Bar End by the city council from Tesco is now complete.

This means that there will be more options when it comes to building a new leisure centre to replace the city's facility at River Park.

The city council and Tesco have been working for a number of years and announced that they have agreed fair commercial terms for purchase of the site.

By purchasing the land the council can now consider it as an option for the location of a new community sports and leisure centre.

The Garrison Ground is east of the existing running track and is the site preferred for a new leisure centre by many residents and community groups.

730 residents signed an open letter to Tesco in 2016, encouraging them to safeguard the Garrison Ground for sports and recreational use.

The purchase means that the land is protected from private development and will continue to be used for sport and leisure.

Chief executive of Winchester Sport Art and Leisure Trust Emma Back said: "We're very pleased that the Garrison Ground has returned to public ownership. We hope Winchester City Council will now formally protect all the playing fields at Bar End, within a broader plan for the area."

Leader of Winchester City Council Cllr Stephen Godfrey said: “I am absolutely delighted that Winchester City Council has purchased the Garrison Ground. We can now preserve this land for community sports and leisure use.

“This is great news for the New Year. The Council is keen to press on and provide a replacement sports and leisure centre for Winchester that offers opportunities to improve health and well-being for local people across the district for years to come.

"The Council is working closely with the University of Winchester, the Pinder Trust and Hampshire County Council to deliver this vision.”