Sports fans will eventually end up on the plus side if Richmond Sports Centre is closed because two new centres are planned, council officials say.

Richmondshire District Council says that closing the sports centre would save £28,500 a year.

But people who use it are planning to campaign against the proposed closure, saying the centre is booked every night of the week, with yoga, karate, kick boxing and step aerobics.

It is also used by up to 24 children each week night who attend Richmond After School Club.

Construction starts in June on a new four-court sports hall at St Francis Xavier School (SFX) in Richmond and work on a leisure centre at Catterick Garrison is expected to begin in 2005. In a report publishedlast week, council officers said this would mean more facilities in the long run.

Geoff Thompson, economic, cultural and leisure unit manager at the council, said: "It should be recognised that until the provision in the pipeline at SFX and Catterick Garrison is operational, there will be a perceived local loss of provision. However, once these facilities are operational there will be a substantial net gain for sports participants."

The sports centre, which is off Gallowgate, was built in 1938 as the regimental gym for the Green Howards. It has no disabled facilities and needs repairs to its roof.

If the closure is approved, sports enthusiasts face a trip to Brompton on Swale or Colburn until the new facilities at SFX and Catterick Garrison are built.

Mr Thompson said: "The building is past its useful working life.

"Discussions are ongoing with the staff working at the centre and all options are being explored to ensure redundancies are not required."

The council's community committee will discuss the issue at Swale House this evening at 6.30pm.

If the closure is approved, the site is likely to be used for affordable housing.