PLANS to develop new £1.7 million sports facilities in Burnley are in tatters after the council’s development partner pulled the plug.

It was hoped to create new five-a-side football pitches, a clubhouse and new changing rooms on Prairie playing fields but the proposals have been put on hold.

Bosses at Burnley Council, who were leading the scheme, said their private sector partner, Playfootball Limited, had pulled out of the scheme. Urgent meetings have been called with the Football Association in a bid to get the project back on track and find a new partner.

Coun Charlie Bullas, Burnley Council’s executive member for leisure and culture, said the development was a victim of the credit crunch. He said: “This is extremely disappointing for the council and for those footballers who use the Prairie facilities.

“The decision has come totally out of the blue as negotiations have been taking place for a number of months now and a final scheme and investment package had been agreed in principle.

“We were expecting a planning application for the scheme to be coming in any time now and had hoped for the new development to be built next year.

“Obviously, the current state of the economy is affecting all sectors and it is a great shame that this development is another casualty.

“We have already had an urgent meeting with the Football Association who have offered to help the council in identifying other potential private sector partners who may wish to invest in a similar facility.

“I am keen that officers investigate all options to see if we can still make this exciting project a reality.”

He said the development, which was to bring in £1.7million of private sector funding, had come to a stand-still as a result of Playfootball Limited reviewing its progra-mme for investment.

A spokesman for the comp-any said it had not taken the decision lightly, having already spent around £40,000 on planning and legal fees.