A VILLAGE community centre which can no longer pay its way may be replaced by a block of flats.

The management committee at Middleton St George has had two offers from developers, one for flats and the other for eight homes. The favoured option is the less lucrative flats which would retain an open frontage and act as a security eye.

Mike Latter, committee chairman, told the D&S Times that an occupied site could help stamp out drug-taking and vandalism in the Water Park at the rear. "Villains don't like being overlooked while they work their nefarious deeds."

Proceeds from the sale could be ploughed into a separate community building on the site of the proposed £3m primary school. Pupils could use it during the day and the authority would bear the brunt of maintenance - an irony given that the loss of a £4,000 education grant had caused the problems in the first place.

The intention was to dispose of the present centre by April when the grant ran out.

The proposals shocked Monday's meeting of Middleton St George Parish Council where members received Mr Latter's report just minutes before the start. He had declined an earlier invitation to attend.

"I was going to put a concrete proposal on the table, which would have helped them for another year," said chairman, Coun Brian Jones.

Mr Latter said he had had talks with the head teacher, the local education authority and planning department, all of whom were enthusiastic.

The new building could be eligible for matched funding from the lottery and be ready long before the new school, expected in 2005.

Coun Steve York said: "It is quite obvious he has been offered big bucks to part with this building."

Coun Doris Jones said she would rather see the site turned into a green park and reminded them that Mr Latter, also a Low Dinsdale parish councillor, had been one of the loudest voices against a previous housing deal to put up a multi-purpose sports and community hall at the Water Park.

Coun Mike McBride described the idea as half-baked, adding: "We should challenge his authority to take this course of action."

Despite the criticisms, it was agreed to offer four quarterly donations of £750 to help keep the centre ticking over and enable the management to sort out its finances.

Mr Latter said on Tuesday: "I am delighted by the offer. However, it doesn't solve the problem, it just gives us a year's stay of execution.

"The trouble is that lots of organisations want to use the centre in the evenings, but it is almost empty during the day."