PLANS for a new community centre to replace one that closed in 2008 look to have been dashed.

Huncoat’s youth club was forced to close down and residents had to hold classes in local pubs after the Methodist church, in Marshall Avenue, closed on health and safety grounds.

The council had earmarked almost an acre of grassland off Yorkshire Street for a new one, but has now admitted it can’t afford it and plans to sell the land for housing instead.

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Estates manager Ian Hoole said in a report to councillors: “The land has been reserved for several years. It was the site of the former Highbrake Terrace, which was acquired by a compulsory purchase order in 1973.

“Regrettably, no funds have been raised to develop a community centre on the land and the site is now recommended for disposal. The most likely use of the land is as a residential development plot for up to 12 houses.

Due to the small size of the plot, from a planning perspective, there will be no need to insist upon a proportion of the site being used for the provision of affordable housing.”

The church, which had been used as a community centre for a number of years, fell into disrepair and it was said to be too expensive to carry out renovation.

Hyndburn Council officials also surveyed the building and agreed it would be financially unviable to repair. Mr Hoole said: “It is intended to market the land for sale on the open market in order to generate the best financial offer. However, it is currently allocated as public open space.

“Before marketing the land can begin, the council is obliged to advertised its intention to dispose of this land and to consider any objections it may receive.”

The land could also be sold at auction once a public consultation, which will last for four weeks, has been held and the opinions of the Huncoat public considered. Globe Enterprises, based in Accrington, has expressed an interest in the site although no financial offer has been made.

Roy Chetham, who chairs the Huncoat Community Forum, said: “The forum has always hoped a community centre would be built, particularly on that site, but we did not have the resources to organise it.”