A SPORTS association has voiced "grave concerns" about plans to turn a cricket pavilion into a community centre labelling it a waste of tax payers' money.

Wooburn Park Sports Association (WPSA) says Bourne End and Wooburn Parish Council's proposals for the pavilion will mean it's only used by a handful of players due to its position in the middle of a large field.

WPSA chairman Angus Porter said it would be a waste of money. He believes it is unsuitable for use as a community centre because people would not want to walk across a muddy field to meet there.

He added the cricket pavilion was a magnet for vandals and its location was difficult to police.

Mr Porter said new facilities were needed to retain cricketers in Wooburn, but said separate plans to develop the tennis club in Wooburn Park instead would be of greater use to the whole community and not just sports club members.

He added: "There are some very significant issues with Wooburn Parish Council's existing plan. It will cost more than a quarter of a million pounds, yet will not qualify for Lottery or other sports-related grants.

"It will have problems with disabled access, policing, and drainage."

WPSA's answer is to use the council's money to re-develop the tennis club building in Wooburn Park instead, allowing all sports clubs to use the premises and enabling the council to demolish the decaying cricket pavilion.

Mr Porter said an extension on the tennis club building would not need to be as large as the proposed extension on the cricket pavilion.

Deputy council leader David Paul said nothing had been set in stone yet and the parish plans were "all very much up in the air".

He said the council was waiting for a structural engineer's report to see if plans were feasible. He said councillors would meet in September to look at issues of funding and disabled access. He also said no action would be taken until the meeting of the full parish council in September.