Sports clubs fear they may lose the use of Whitstable sports centre if plans to develop it go ahead.

The building is owned by Canterbury council and run by Active Life. It was built on land belonging to Kent County Council in the grounds of the Community College.

Under the terms of an agreement drawn up when it was built, it can be used by the school during the day in term time but is available to the community in the evenings, weekends and school holidays.

Phil Baldwin, who runs Whitstable Karate Kai, which uses the centre, said he feared they could end up being squeezed out.

He said some of the facilities were already being blocked by the school during exams.

The school included the sports centre as part of its Government-funded Building Schools for the Future programme.

“This would be a back door route for the school to take full control or exert more control over a public facility,” said Mr Baldwin.

Active Life chief executive Neil West said: “From what I have seen it is an exciting project and should go ahead.

“The community use has actually increased over the years and I think it is the school’s vision to integrate more with the community, not less.”

~For full story see this week’s Whitstable Gazette, out on Thursday.