Carn Brea running track 'will be replaced'

A new running track will be built in Cornwall to replace one the county council plans to sell off, a councillor has said.

Cornwall Council has proposed selling off an eight-lane track and car park at Carn Brea Leisure Centre to developers.

Centre supporters said a track was needed in the "huge catchment area".

County councillor Jude Robinson said she had been given a guarantee a replacement track would be built in the Camborne and Redruth area.

'Number of offers'

The council said it was considering selling off the track for retail purposes and using some of the money to refurbish the centre, which opened in 1974 and is currently run by a community trust.

The Conservative-Independent authority previously said there had been interest expressed in developing shops and restaurants on the land and a "number of offers have been evaluated".

Camborne Labour councillor Ms Robinson said: "In order regenerate the site, the track has to move just because it's so big.

"We've secured agreement that [such a track] will stay in the Camborne-Redruth area.

"But we do believe it should be re-provided with similar facilities so everyone has somewhere to change and park.

However, leisure centre supporters said they had concerns that not all of any money raised by the council from the sales would be spent on Carn Brea, but might go to projects or work elsewhere.

Campaigner Debbie Stokes said: "This leisure centre has a huge catchment area.

"We want reassurances that it is going to be replaced, and not just fixed up for another couple of years before being closed."

George Eustice, Conservative MP for Camborne and Redruth, said he also favoured a complete rebuild, saying any redevelopment was "an opportunity we must get right".

Cornwall Council said no decision had been made about how it could help the Carn Brea Leisure Trust improve the facilities.

The council's cabinet is due to make a decision in March.