A GROUP of Whitefield residents has launched a campaign to save one of the town's major community facilities.

Members of Elms Tenants and Residents Association (TRA), backed by newly-elected councillor Joan Grimshaw, have mapped out a plan of action to prevent Whitefield Community Centre from closing down.

The dilapidated building, which is situated behind Elms Precinct, faces an uncertain future as the rest of Whitefield undergoes a major facelift.

Multi-millionaire Albert Gubay is currently developing the precinct, creating new shop units and a health and rehabilitation centre, and a Yorkshire-based company, Dransfield, has expressed an interest in the adjoining land to Elm Street.

The TRA have said that if nothing is done to support the centre, the popular facility could be lost to the community forever.

Association secretary Jane Leary said: "We know that Dransfield is interested in obtaining the land as part of its development. The firm has been in discussions with the Conservative Club in Elm Street and offered them an alternative site, where the community centre now stands. We have been deprived of this facility for so long and if this happens then it is being taken away from the community."

The TRA, which boasts 156 members from the Elms estate, held their first annual general meeting this week after forming just 12 months ago and the future of the community centre is their priority.

Miss Leary added: "If we have a base we can bring the community together and we want to provide something for every aspect of the community."

Ideas in the pipeline include provision for the elderly, mother and toddler groups, coffee mornings and tea dances.

But a main concern is providing facilities for young people, a need that was further highlighted recently when Coun Grimshaw and Miss Leary joined Operation Flock which targeted youth nuisance on the streets.

"We want to create facilities for young people as there is nothing for them to do, possibly introduce a youth club in the evenings. We want to fill a blank calendar sheet. If we get it now and make it work then we will have to keep hold of it."

The association has lined up a number of people who would be interested in helping out with various sessions and they are prepared to clean up the building, which is currently "a mess".

It is believed the lease to Stand Athletic Football Club, previous users of the building, expired in February and the TRA are just waiting for permission to enter the building.

Coun Grimshaw added: "I fully support the association's campaign to reclaim the community centre for the community itself. If we can make it viable there is less chance of us losing it. There are some great people on the Elms estate and we are sure this project would become the heart of the community."