ALTON Town council has expressed concern over the delayed release of the findings of an Alton Sports Centre study, commissioned by East Hampshire District Council, to help in the drawing up of a business case for the replacement or refurbishment of the facility in Chawton Park Road.

Having gone out to tender at the end of last year, EHDC selected Chichester-based consultancy Sports, Leisure and Culture to undertake an assessment of the viability of a number of sites in Alton, including the centre's existing location.

The brief was for the submission of an appropriate business and financial specification, taking into account design, location, catchment area, and affordability, for a sports centre to serve a growing population for the next 25 to 30 years.

But, according to local county and district councillor Andrew Joy, the resulting draft report, put before an EHDC cabinet briefing in July, was considered incomplete and not ready for public scrutiny.

For full story, see this week's Alton Herald.