EAST Hampshire District Council has appointed The Sport Leisure and Culture Consultancy Ltd to provide a detailed understanding of the options for Alton Sports Centre.

This is the first project from the council's Leisure Built Facilities Strategy addressing the future of Alton Sports Centre as a priority, in line with the corporate strategy.

The current centre, built in the early 70s, with an anticipated lifespan of 25 years, is now considered past its sell-by date and in need of replacing.

The aim is to keep the current centre open until any replacement, whether it be refurbishment or new build, is up and ready for business.

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