The sale of a former sports and activity hub for young people is nearing completion more than three years after it closed.

But it is unlikely the Arethusa Venture Centre on the banks of the River Medway will return to its former use.

It is unknown at this stage who the buyer is and how much they have paid, but there is speculation the land will become housing.

Shaftesbury Young People – the charity which ran the water-based venue in Lower Upnor – closed its doors for good in 2019 because of a lack of demand.

The organisation's spokesman Johanna Tompsett said after a lengthy process a new buyer had been found for the 2.1-acre site and negotiations were "hopefully" in their final stages.

She said: "We approached other charities with a view to continuing as an activity centre, but sadly none thought it was a viable option as it has fallen into dilapidation.

"We know it means a lot to local residents and we have done our best to find the best deal."

An auction of 624 lots in May 2019, selling off fixtures, fittings and equipment included an historic figurehead from the ship HMS Arethusa.

There had been talk of moving the carved sculpture to the Royal Navy base at Portsmouth.

But after considerable pressure from the Arethusa Old Boys' Association, MP Kelly Tolhurst and residents, it was decided it should remain "where it belongs", in the village.

Built in 1935, in recent years the centre was used by schools offering climbing, kayaking, sailing and paddle boarding.

It has grass pitches, a swimming pool, an indoor community hall and dormitories for overnight stays.

The Duke of Edinburgh and the Queen Mother both included the centre on their itineraries when visiting Medway.

Originally overseen by Shaftesbury Homes it was one of the UK's oldest children's charities supporting young people in care and adolescents leaving institutions.

Founded in 1843, its mission statement said it aimed to help youngsters "find their voice, to be healthy, to learn, develop and achieve and to gain an independent and positive place in society".

It moved from backing "ragged" schools to providing night refuges and nautical training, in keeping with the close links with nearby Chatham Dockyard.

The organisation was started by a solicitors' clerk Willam Williams, who came across a group of "cold, dirty and rowdy London boys" chained together awaiting transportation to Australia.

Horrified by what he saw, Williams opened a school in a hayloft in the capital and set up the Ragged School Union.

Lord Shaftesbury became the president and launched an initiative to get boys off the streets and give them maritime training on board a redundant frigate moored off Greenhithe.

A second vessel, the Arethusa was acquired, broken up and replaced with a steel-hulled clipper – the Peking.

This was refitted at Chatham Dockyard and renamed the Arethusa II and moored at Lower Upnor.