Smash hit tennis aces are angry about a North Ayrshire Council decision which could see the end of their club.
Recommendations from officers were put forward to the full council that land could be removed from the Common Good Fund and leased back to Largs Tennis Club, who would use all seven courts.
However, SNP councillor Alan Hill put forward a motion that three of the seven courts be used by the club and the remaining four be used to develop a community garden.
Tory leader Tom Marshall put forward an amendment that the original plans were agreed and the community garden be taken off the table as it was a project being pursued only by SNP members.
Largs Tennis Club has drawn up a petition urging a change of mind.
The petition reads: “Largs’s only free public tennis courts are under threat. The courts have not been maintained by the council since before covid and four out of the seven courts have fallen into disrepair with three being maintained for public use by local residents.
“North Ayrshire Council held a consultation process to look at various private and community options for the courts and the clear recommendation was to retain the courts as tennis courts and award the courts to Largs Tennis Club who had secured £200k LTA funding to redevelop the courts for all year round club use as well as providing free or low cost community tennis.
“The club has a long history of playing at Douglas Park but had relocated to Inverclyde National Sports Centre to be able to play all year round whilst they pursued a long term lease with the council - a requirement to securing the funding required to upgrade the Douglas Park courts.
“At the council meeting to approve the consultation’s proposal, an amendment was successfully proposed which awarded four courts to a growers group and three courts to Largs Tennis Club.
“This outcome is a 180 degree U-turn on the consultation recommendation and effectively kills the tennis club proposal as, with a 100+ membership and a funding obligation to provide community tennis access in Largs, the Club cannot physically fit into three courts.
"If the decision is not revisited, Largs will lose a £200,000 investment in sports and its only public access to tennis courts.
"Local affected residents, including us, are strongly in favour of retaining the long tradition of tennis courts in Douglas Park. We have very little in the way of free sport provision for children and families in Largs as it is.
“We believe the council thought they were voting for a compromise, unaware that the outcome would effectively scupper the tennis club proposal and a £200k investment in sports in Largs - the council’s own executive’s recommendation.
“The growers project is a worthy one but this is not the right location for it and it should not be at the expense of existing and long established sports facilities. The consultation recommended the growers should be supported to find an appropriate location elsewhere.
“As it stands, the tennis courts will be lost. If you’ve ever played tennis at Douglas Park and or want to help protect free community tennis in Largs, please sign.
“We want to ensure generations of families can play tennis in Largs for free for years to come and we can only do this by showing the council the strength of public affection for the Douglas Park courts and asking them to reconsider their decision.”
The motion to allocate three courts to Largs Tennis Club was carried, securing 20 votes to 10 for Councillor Marshall’s amendment.
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