PLANS for a £1m tennis centre of excellence at Salt Ayre were unveiled this week.

Town hall bosses are are reported to be keen on developing the 10-court facility after the Lawn Tennis Association

There would be indoor and outdoor courts at the centre which could be completed by summer 2000.

The funding for the estimated £940,000 would be split between Lancaster and Morecambe council tax payers and the LTA. Lancaster City Council would have to find £450,000 and the LTA would find the rest.

A city council source said: "It was the tennis association who asked the council to take part in discussions. They want to discuss the possibility of Salt Ayre becoming one of six, pilot sites. People from the association looked at the Kingsway and Bubbles site but the only one that really interested them was Salt Ayre.

"They were impressed with the fact that Salt Ayre was in a very central location and easy to get to. There's plenty of sporting facilities there already and there's a lot of public transport to Salt Ayre which would be good for people coming from outside the area."

If Salt Ayre was to be chosen would mean the loss of one football pitch but the council would be able to use two football pitches and a cricket square from the Royal Albert hospital. The Lawn Tennis Association would like six indoor courts and four indoor courts to make up the centre.

"This would be a major addition for the sporting public of our district," said one council spokesman.

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