'New venue' pledge to indoor bowlers.

Byline: By Neil Mckay

Indoor bowlers were last night promised a new sports complex if the one they use now is demolished.

Derwentside District Council has been approached by a property developer acting on behalf of Asda.

Asda wants to close their store in Stanley, County Durham, and open a new one on the site of the town's old bus station.

Should the pounds 29m plan go ahead ( and it has been welcomed by councillors who want to regenerate the rundown town centre ( the existing Asda store would be bulldozed, as would the indoor bowls centre above it.

The Stanley indoor bowls centre, one of the biggest in the North-East, stages international bowls tournaments. The bowlers, already angry that there are no plans for a permanent indoor green on a proposed pounds 25m "sports village" at nearby Consett, now fear they will also lose the Stanley venue.

Bowlers can currently use the green at Stanley or one at nearby Consett Leisure Centre, which may also be razed when the new village is built in three years.

Derwentside Council leader Alex Watson confirmed there had been an approach by a developer wanting to build a superstore in Stanley.

He said: "Talks are at an early stage, but we could well be receiving a planning application by late summer.

"We would welcome the extra investment into Stanley, but I can assure the bowlers that their indoor centre would be replaced if the proposal goes ahead and the current Asda site and bowls centre is demolished.

"It will have been built, and it will be in Stanley town centre, before the old one is demolished."

Defending the decision not to include a permanent indoor bowling rink in Consett's pounds 25m sports village, Coun Watson said: "The indoor bowls at Consett Leisure Centre is underused and there is insufficient demand for two permanent sites in Derwentside.

"The Stanley centre will be replaced, and a temporary rink is proposed for the complex in Consett."

The new Consett "sports village" near Derwentside College, which is expected to be up and running within three years, will feature a 25-metre pool, tennis and badminton courts, as well as outdoor training pitches and the possibility of a new home for Consett FC.

But independent district councillor Watts Stelling said: "While I welcome the new sports complex, I do feel there should be more provision for indoor bowling.

"There does seem to be a bias towards catering solely for the young and very fit, but this new sports centre should be for the use of the whole community of Derwentside."