THE thumbs-up has been given to a new �438,000 sports pavilion in Belton, despite a poor turnout at a public meeting to discuss the plans.Belton Parish Council chairman Malcolm Scott spoke of his disappointment after only 20 villagers attended the meeting to discuss the planned pavilion on the New Road playing field.

THE thumbs-up has been given to a new �438,000 sports pavilion in Belton, despite a poor turnout at a public meeting to discuss the plans.

Belton Parish Council chairman Malcolm Scott spoke of his disappointment after only 20 villagers attended the meeting to discuss the planned pavilion on the New Road playing field. The council had run a high-profile publicity campaign for the John Green Institute meeting last Thursday involving the local press and a leaflet drop to homes.

Mr Scott revealed in the worst case scenario the new pavilion would cost residents �6 more on their annual council tax bill, but this would only happen if no-one came forward to rent the facility.

The parish council has budgeted between �90,000 and �105,000 to pay for the pavilion, depending on whether the borough council provides a �57,500 grant for the project.

The borough funds 11.5pc of the total scheme cost, but because the cost is expected to be �428,000 rather than the originally estimated �543,000, the borough is set to reduce the size of its grant. However, Mr Scott has written to the borough asking it to keep its grant at the original level.

The reduction in the total cost came after building contractor John Youngs put in the cheapest of the seven tenders.

Villagers at the meeting asked questions about security arrangements on-site and car parking provision.

Although no burglar alarms were included in the project, one resident working for a security firm offered to install an alarm system.

One objector questioned whether the parish council could afford to run the pavilion, but Mr Scott said the projected annual running costs of �15,520 would be covered by the rental fees paid by teams and organisations using the facility.

Chris Dove, the borough's capital projects service manager, has been overseeing the tendering process on behalf of the parish council.

He said: “All I would say is that this is a golden opportunity for the village. We have got a fantastic price for the project.”

The pavilion will have four changing rooms, showers, a community room, toilet and a pavilion.

The aim is to have the facility running by the autumn, providing changing rooms for Bohemians Youth FC while the Belton FC adult team could also play their home games on the playing field.

Belton Cricket Club may also play home games on the playing field but this is dependent on the council securing extra land for the pitch, which may not happen until 2010.

The community room could be used as a conference centre and training room for village groups and businesses, as well as hosting a new youth club.

The council is also set to apply to the Government's public loans board for a grant to cover the project costs.