A TORFAEN sports and leisure chief says he is disappointed at plans to scale-down refurbishment of Pon-typool leisure centre.

Councillor Lewis Jones, executive member for sport, youth and leisure, says he is disappointed the leisure centre will probably not get an ambitious £6.5m complete rebuild, which was suggested to councillors last year.

Members were told the ageing facility would have to close within two years if nothing was done, and £1.2 million was pledged by the Sports Council for Wales for the plans.

But in September it was revealed that the SCW had placed a new condition on its funding offer - the redevelopment should not include plans for a new sports hall.

The rethink comes because facilities at Ysgol Gyfun Gwynllw - funded by the New Opportunities Fund - and the new £21 million Torfaen Learning Centre mean there is no need for a new sports hall at Pontypool, according to the SCW.

However, both alternative facilities are yet to be built. The council can still access the £1.2 million offer if it agrees to a smaller £4.2 million development.

"We have to take advantage of the money offer, but it's not what we would have wanted," said Councillor Jones.

He added: "When you think that Ysgol Gyfyun Gwynllw is going to be very busy during the day, and we don't know if the TLEC is going ahead - we could find ourselves temporarily without a leisure centre when work went ahead."

There are fears Ysgol Gyfun Gwynllw will not be a viable alternative until a proper bus park to cope with the extra traffic is added to the plans for a new sports hall.

Councillors were told at their last meeting that the new plan would mean a much smaller sports hall, about the size of two or three badminton courts, as opposed to five.

"At the end of the day, we have to consider the money, but I am concerned about what this means for the regeneration of the town," added Councillor Jones.

A revised application must be submitted to SCW by March 2004, if councillors are to take advantage of the cash offer.