COUNCILLORS have approved a controversial scheme which will see Darwen Leisure Centre sports hall move to a site across town.

The decision has been taken as part of the £9million project to replace the town's leisure centre with new, state-of-the-art facilities by the end of 2008.

The plan includes a larger swimming pool and car park, and council bosses have decided there is not enough room for the sports hall on the existing Green Lane site.

Blackburn with Darwen Council executive board has agreed Darwen Vale High School should provide sports hall facilities not included in the new centre.

But the council admitted that the new £9million leisure centre scheme would now lose £400,000, which has been allocated for the sports hall, and plans will now face a design brief to fit in with the new budget.

Coun Karimeh Foster said she was not happy with the decision to split the site, and feared for the main centre which now has a reduced budget.

The meeting heard how the council will now spend £1.8million on the sports hall, made up of a £1.4million grant and the £400,000.

Coun Foster, who represents Whitehall, said: "I still believe that all the sports facilities currently in the leisure centre should remain under one roof in the new centre, instead of splitting it all up.

"I am not happy that money is being taken from the main site either. There must be services that will drop away.

"The plans are not ready yet for the centre, but I will be keeping my eye on what is missed off when it arrives, as something will have to be, with £400,000 less.

"I will be putting pressure on the council to ensure the Darwen Leisure Centre does not suffer as a result of this."

Resident Peter Sciambarella, of Sudell Road, said: "There are lots of residents unhappy with this decision. We feel it has been railroaded in with little consultation. We didn't even want a new centre. We just want the old one renovating.

"It would have been fine. Then everything could have stayed where it is.

"We don't need an Olympic- size swimming pool and all that. It just needed repair work and it would have been perfectly fine."

The council said Darwen Vale was the right choice because outside funding, not available for the main site, could be used and it would provide excellent access and parking. The opening hours for the sports hall have not been decided, but are not expected to be restricted by the school timetable.

Coun John Milburn, executive member for leisure, said: "The pool will be the envy of many authorities, not only in Lancashire but the North West of England. Maybe we can get a free bus service. We can talk about a service to ferry people between the two."