Burnt Oak residents have been infuriated by plans to sell the unfinished Burnt Oak Youth and Leisure Centre to a private group. Some have vowed to fight the decision.

The Tories claim the Lohanas an Asian community group would continue to run the centre as a leisure centre open to all and the money from the deal would be ploughed back into youth services across the borough.

But Pattie Skeats, chairwoman of the Burnt Oak Traders' Association, said: "We have had everything taken away from us in Burnt Oak. I don't want to see that centre handed over to a private group.

"We have learned to our cost on too many issues that that doesn't work. You can't predict what tomorrow's masters of that group will want to do. I'll fight the council all the way."

Louise Lennon, of Booth Road, said: "I'm against selling it. The whole idea was that it was for the people. I'm not convinced it will remain a sports centre if it's sold. I'm sure they would impose all sorts of restrictions."

Kim Latchford, of Montrose Avenue, who opposed the centre in the first place, said: "It's there now.

"We would have liked to see it used for the local schools at restricted times. Are we going to be faced with traffic chaos at Diwali as they are in Neasden by the temple there?"

Meanwhile, the Tories have hit back at claims the decision to sell the youth centre is motivated by political spite.

At a heated council policy conference on January 16, Councillor Mike Freer, cabinet member for value and effectiveness, said: "Labour's response to problems affecting the whole borough was to launch a multi-million pound vanity project in just one ward."

Labour leader Alan Williams, who championed the Burnt Oak sports centre, said: "Don't pretend to us it will remain the type of youth and community centre that this area badly needs.

"This will be a private centre. The council will have no control over what it is used for."

A spokesman for Camden Council said it sold the land to Barnet for use as a community centre. He added: "If anything else is built on the site that would add to the value we would be entitled to further payments."

January 29, 2003 17:30