A POPULAR leisure centre could be sold off and be replaced with housing, it has been revealed.

The Echo can reveal the council has included the Eversley Leisure Centre and next door playing fields in a list of its land possibly suitable for long-term development.

Landowners, including the council, have submitted any land they feel may be suitable for development. Chosen sites will be published as part of a local development planning framework for the borough early next year.

The council confirmed it had included the centre and playing fields, but will not say yet if it has reached the shortlist, and maintained there were no immediate threats to it staying open.

However, the revelation has worried users. Christine Taylor, 65, of Halstow Way, Pitsea, is a regular user of Eversley Leisure Centre and was devastated when she heard the news.

She said: “I cannot believe this. It seems the council is trying to push us to use the Sporting Village. What leisure facilities are the people of Pitsea going to use if the swimming pool and Eversley get built on?

“It is ridiculous to think we could lose the playing fields as well. Where are the children who play football on the land meant to go if this gets built on? The land must not be built on.”

Eversley Primary School, which has more than 350 pupils aged between four and 11, does not have its own playing field and uses the Eversley Recreation Ground next door.

A Basildon Council spokesman, said: “There are no plans to dispose of the Eversley centre. It is a key part of our leisure portfolio.

“The council regularly reviews its assets to ensure they are being appropriately used. As part of this approach we need to ensure the sites can be used for other purposes in the future, should service demand change.”

Asked if the leisure centre would be replaced if it is redeveloped, the spokesman said under current planning policy it would be.