RESIDENTS are claiming a 'victory' despite losing a five-year fight to stop a leisure complex being built and being left thousands of pounds out of pocket.

The Girls' Day School Trust (GDST) has been dragged through five court cases by residents on the St Stephen's Park Estate in West Ealing since 1997.

The residents, led by Dr Jill Reed of Wimborne Gardens, objected to the construction of a five-storey leisure and swimming pool complex on the corner of their estate to be used by Notting Hill and Ealing High School.

They lost the first battle, but began another fight protesting over the health risks posed by pool chlorine. But on January 14, GDST received the green light on the condition that carbon filters were used to make the pool safer.

The case cost 60 residents around £160,000 but they will receive £80,000 compensation because the covenant of the land had to be modified.

Dr Reed said: "We may have lost money but the school has lost the goodwill of its neighbourhood. We, however, have shown how a community can work together. We are the true winners."

John Boal, GDST chief executive, said: "It's deeply regrettable if it's true that we've lost the goodwill of the neighbourhood. This complex was developed long ago and is vital to the school's development."