Warning Larkhall could miss out on future sports stars under leisure centre plans

Larkhall could lose out on producing the next generation of Olympic talent without a leisure centre to match the size of the town.

That's the warning from campaigners who're against plans for a smaller building with fewer badminton courts and no soft play area.

South Lanarkshire Council is budgeting £23.9m on the facility and says it is the most lucrative building project outside the school portfolio.

Adam Archibald used to work there as a lifeguard and told Clyde 1: "We are set to lose a large games hall when the current one has space for six badminton courts, a function suite as well as a dance studio.

"We have already lost the sports barn, three outdoor football pitches, the community centre and there are talks to get rid of our golf course too.

"Our population has grown by 25% so anything less than like for like isn't going to be satisfactory and the council doesn't appear to be trying to look at other ways of making revenunue.

"Instead it is constantly choosing to make cuts."

A petition against the proposals which was started in December last year is now reaching almost 1,500 signatures.

Pictures below show the condition on the inside of the current leisure centre which opened back in 1964.

The boss of the local authority Joe Fagan has been telling Clyde 1 he has been taking the views of the community on board and is keen to make progress.

He said: "We are going to do the best we can with the budget available but we have to make sure we don't promise more than we can deliver.

"When I became the leader of the council, I inherited a budget of around £9m for this leisure centre and we have taken it up to £23.9m."

Hear the latest news on Clyde 1 on FM, DAB, smart speaker or the Rayo app.