DEVELOPMENT plans for the George Carnall site could spell the end of the campaign to keep it open.

The closure had been agreed under the previous Conservative administration at Trafford Council.

The council and Trafford Leisure had, despite public opposition, made plans to shut George Carnall, once an expansion of Urmston Leisure Centre is completed in early 2020.

The change of administration at May’s local elections saw the Labour group take control of the town hall and it postponed decisions and the closure of the centre until it met with Trafford Leisure.

The Messenger now understands that Trafford Leisure had negotiated a get-out clause with the former administration, which would enable it to effectively wash its hands of responsibility for the George Carnall Centre in 2020.

Campaigners had hoped the council would rethink the decision to close it.

But the get-out clause means that Trafford Council will, in the short term, be forced to take the land on which George Carnall sits, out to the market in early 2019, to seek potential developers interested in a combination of new housing and or development on the site.

The Friends of George Carnall campaign group, led by Mike Reavy, learned about the get-out clause last month, following a meeting with Trafford Council officials, who remain keen to find a solution, which would keep the centre open.

Mr Reavy said: “The Friends of George Carnall were shocked to discover that once the expansion work at Urmston Leisure Centre is completed, Trafford Leisure will hand the keys to George Carnall back to Trafford Council.”

“This comes at a time when it is has never been more imperative, that with physical inactivity at its height, Trafford Leisure should now be intending to fail in its duty of care for a large part of the community, by effectively abandoning our centre.”

The centre has served the Davyhulme community and other areas including Lostock, Stretford, Trafford Park, Urmston and Flixton over the past the past 35 years, but the concerns of centre users are that sporting activities including squash will no longer be available there and parking will be at a premium.

Mr Reavy said: “The extension to Urmston Leisure Centre will mean that it will be 50 per cent larger than at present, but will in no way, compensate for the loss of George Carnall, so it will mean a first come first served basis not only in the centre, but also the car park, which will also be totally inadequate with little or no parking provision which will inevitably cause mayhem to the residents within the area as people jostle for space along the roadside.”

A spokesman for Trafford Leisure and Trafford Council said: “At this point Trafford Leisure will not have an operational responsibility for the facilities.

"The council is looking to go out to the market early in the new year with an Expression Of Interest to find a potential development partner for George H Carnall and has committed fully to consulting with residents during this process.

“Trafford Leisure always works with the interests of residents in mind. Health and wellbeing is of vital importance to Trafford Council and will always remain a top priority.

“Our focus remains on getting the development at Urmston complete and until that point George H Carnall Leisure Centre will remain completely operational until the construction work and handover is completed at Urmston Leisure Centre ­— estimated to be completed by early 2020.”