TORFAEN leisure chiefs have warned that the redevelopment of Pontypool leisure centre needs urgent investment before the centre is forced to close.

The future of the popular facility in Pontypool Park is still uncertain but Torfaen council has warned that the final design will be driven more by funding issues than what facilities the council wants.

User groups were recently shown updated plans for a possible replacement of the 30-year-old building, which is run down and in need of redevelopment.

The latest plan would see the conversion of the centre's sports hall into a range of other community recreation uses such as a health and fitness facility, a gymnasium and a bar.

Team sports would have to be accommodated at other centres throughout Torfaen, such as the proposed sports hall in Ysgol Gyfun Gwynllyw in Trevethin.

The project was thrown into doubt last September when the Sports Council for Wales refused to fund the £6.5 million plan.

Torfaen council said it would contribute only £1.2 million if the sports council plan was reduced to a £4.2 million scheme.

Since then the centre's future has been shrouded in uncertainty with rumours circulating among staff of possible redundancies and the closure of key facilities such as the squash courts and fitness suites.

Dave Congreave, head of leisure, youth and culture at Torfaen council, said: "Amid all the difficulties and uncertainties that remain two things are absolutely clear.

"After 30 years the existing centre is very close to the end of its working life and needs replacement.

"Secondly the financial circumstances of the council and the Sports Council for Wales seem unlikely to improve significantly in the medium term, making it a priority for us to agree some sort of investment as soon as possible."

He said there was a long way to go in design costing and funding and the project was only now at the feasibility stage.