A COMMUNITY centre in Southampton could become the first in the city to be sold to a community group.

Harefield Community Centre is the first building to be marketed under the city council’s recently adopted community asset transfer programme.

But while the strategy has been hailed as an opportunity to work with local groups to maintain facilities by Labour civic chiefs, some have voiced concerns that the council is abdicating its responsibilities towards services.

And, with repair work costing more than £80,000 needed at the centre, it is unlikely to be a cheap investment for whichever group comes forward.

The news comes after contracts were exchanged between fast food giant McDonald’s and Punch Taverns over the sale of the nearby Bittern pub.

In June the city council’s Cabinet approved the new community asset transfer strategy, which will allow organisations to buy or lease facilities which have been deemed “community assets”.

Transfers will usually be done at less-than the market rate for voluntary, community or faith groups.

The council’s Cabinet member for communities, Satvir Kaur, said: “We see this as a real opportunity to work in partnership with local organisations to improve and sustain community facilities.

"Alongside the application forms we’ve put together a ‘toolkit’ so groups can see what is required. We ran a 12 week consultation process and have already had interest from several organisations.

“Harefield Community Centre is the first building that we are offering to local groups so I’m excited to see who comes forward now we have ‘gone live’.

“The council is committed to a proactive programme of asset transfers because we believe that this will both help protect cherished facilities at a time of severe financial constraints and strengthen local community involvement.”

The authority is looking for offers in the region of £25,000 for the sale of the centre freehold, while it would want £5,000 per year for the first ten years of a leasehold. That figure would then increase to £8,180 per year for the next ten years and £10,580 annually for the remainder of the lease term.