IT is ‘highly unlikely’ that Hyndburn Borough Council will terminate its long-term lease on a recreation ground because it would ‘deprive the community of a recreational facility’, it has been claimed.

Holt Street Recreation Ground is one of the largest in Rishton and serves the lower end of the town. It was shortlisted as land that could be surrendered following an asset review by a panel of councillors.

The panel looked at many council-owned pieces of land and recommended the council should ‘consider sub-letting or surrendering the current lease,’ or for local councillors to form a task group to explore a possible change of use.

Coun Ken Moss chaired the panel but said surrending the 25-year lease from site owners the Dunkenhalgh Estate would not be done.

“It’s a case of looking at all the options,” he said. “Surrendering the lease is not something we would be looking at doing. Apart from anything else it would take away the only green space where people can play in that area of Rishton.”

Coun Moss, who represents Rishton, said a £300,000 plan to install facilities on the ground in 2006 was ‘an election promise from the former leader of the council’ that never happened.

Play equipment, a games area, a path for cyclists and improved parking were proposed, but the only one installed was a multiple user games area — an enclosed concrete pitch painted with lines for different sports — paid for by a youth group.

Coun Harry Grayson said talks have been held with Rishton United about a sub-lease in ‘three to five years’.

“They have designs for a £1.2 million bid for the Norden playing fields but they do need other areas to accomodate all 20 of their teams,” he said.

The recommendation will go before the council’s cabinet committee on July 31.