A £19m expansion of Carlisle’s Sands Centre would increase the risk of flooding across the city and should be stopped, campaigners say.

It comes as Environment Agency bosses confirm they are almost ready to unveil a new flood defence plan for Carlisle - but work will not start until next summer.

Flood fears in the city were heightened last weekend, when Storm Callum led to river levels rising and flood warnings being issued.

Many residents are angry that almost three years on from the 2015 floods, they are going into another winter with no extra protection.

Now the Carlisle Flood Action Group has submitted a formal objection to Carlisle City Council’s plan to redevelop the Sands Centre - which they say should never have been built on its current site.

They argue a bigger building will impact on future floods, adding to existing problems on the River Eden and causing water to back up further along the River Petteril to Warwick Road.

The group has questioned the council’s flood risk assessment, and called on councillors to instead think about a new leisure development away from the river.

Meanwhile the Environment Agency - which has yet to spend about £25m of flood money allocated by the Government - has said there will be no further flood protection for the city until after winter.

It will unveil its preferred options in December - but says the first phase of work won’t get underway until next summer at the earliest.

“Given the extent of works required in Carlisle, the city is being divided up in to different phases of work. Our intention is to submit the planning application for phase one in February 2019, with an aim to commence works on the ground in Summer 2019,” said a spokeswoman.

John Kelsall, of the Carlisle Flood Action Group (CFLAG), described the delays as “pretty appalling”. He is also concerned that, despite repeated calls, it looks unlikely any improvements to Botcherby Bridge - which residents say acted as a dam, causing major flooding during Storm Desmond - will be included.

Mr Kelsall believes the Sands Centre plan could add to flooding in this area.

Flood campaigners fear that the Sands Centre expansion - which includes two new swimming pools - will be too much for the current site.

They argue that throughout history, politicians have wrongly allowed developments on and around natural flood plains - causing many of the existing problems.

Mr Kelsall they are in danger of doing the same thing again at the Sands.

“We are not letting it rest. It needs to be properly looked at,” he said.

“We have to point the finger (for flooding) at local politicians from 1860 onwards.

“I think the Sands in 1982 was a leap of faith, but they got it wrong. Everyone knew they were drilling into the river gravel. I think they should think about building the leisure centre somewhere sensible.”

He said that the group did not object to the principle of a new leisure centre, but that the location was a real concern. If they do use the current site, he said they would need to find a way to get extra water around the back on the city side.

“They are rebuilding something that we believe is in the wrong place,” he said.

“It’s not moving in the right direction. It does two things - it obstructs a bit more of the flood plain by building on it, and sets a massive precedent.”

A city council spokeswoman stressed that no decisions have yet been made.

She said: “The Sands Centre planning application has been submitted and a consultation process is underway. All comments will be collated and will be taken into consideration.

“In addition to public comments, we also seek the opinions of statutory bodies such as Cumbria County Council, as the lead local flood authority, and the Environment Agency.”

However CFLAG is also questioning the flood risk assessments that support the planning application, labelling it “optimistic” and claiming a lot of the data pre-dates Storm Desmond, so is therefore not reliable.