Town councillors have accused Babergh Council of issuing them with an ultimatum to sell the allotments, near the

Brett Works site – or go without a pool.

The claim comes after Babergh revealed the cost of re-building the pool had soared beyond the original estimate of £3.25m.

Councillor Jan Byrne said: "It is blackmail. They are saying if you do not sell this land you will not have money for a swimming pool."

Tesco are waiting in the wings to buy the allotments site which, the Free Press understands, will be used as a car park for the proposed superstore.

Ivan Jeffery, who owns an allotment in Hadleigh, has branded Babergh's actions "disgusting".

Mr Jeffrey, 71, from Cottesford Close, in Hadleigh, said: "This is blackmail. What they (Babergh) are doing is disgusting, they are using the issue to try to get something they want. We do not want to be manipulated.

"My wife and I have had the allotment for seven years now and it is important to me for health reasons. When I go to the hospital, they call it the green gym, because working there you exercise lots of different muscles."

The row has broken out after an architects' study showed all the initial options discussed by Hadleigh Pool Steering and Working Groups, including a learner pool with fitness centre, or a spa, sauna and cafeteria, as well as a main pool, exceed an initial estimated figure of £3.25m.

Now Babergh are urging the Steering and Working Groups to consider a 25m pool with six lanes on the existing site which would cost £4.4m, or a 25m, five-lane pool and to sell allotment land to raise funds for the pool.

A decision was expected to have been made by today.

But Hadleigh councillors are refusing to consider selling the allotments until a formal planning application to build on the site is submitted.

A Spokesman for Babergh said: "Babergh believes that securing a new pool for Hadleigh is one of the single most important challenges facing the community. We are going out of our way to maximise the amount of money we hope to invest in this facility – and sometimes having to make difficult decisions in the process.

"We hope that Hadleigh Town Council shares our sense of urgency over this and will reconsider its decision not to enter into negotiations over their land next to Brett Works.

"What other project do they have in mind other than the new pool on which they wish to spend this money?"