SOUTHAMPTON residents are “upset their voices have been ignored” after the council decided to sell a sports complex.

Councillor Satvir Kaur has slammed the Tory-led council by saying that the decision to close St Mary’s Leisure Centre is a ‘political choice not to invest’ in the site.

At a cabinet meeting this week, civic chiefs approved plans to sell the building in St Mary’s Road after it was closed in December.

The decision will reportedly save the council up to £3,000 a week in running costs.

Finance boss, John Hannides, has said that the administration will now look at how it can enhance facilities in the community.

But leader of the opposition, Cllr Kaur said: “If the council wanted to save St Mary’s Leisure Centre, they could.

"They have admitted to having the money but are choosing to make a political choice not to invest and sell if off for housing instead.

"With 87 per cent of respondents from the council’s own consultation being against the decision, people are rightfully upset their voices have been ignored by Tory politicians.”

Daily Echo: Cllr Satvir Kaur.Cllr Satvir Kaur.

Following a public consultation earlier this year, 87 per cent of respondents said closing the centre would have a negative impact.

Now though, Cllr Hannides has said the process gave the council an “insight into what people feel is important in their community”.

He said: “We can understand the passion that people feel for the leisure centre. I understand their feelings about the proposals.

“We have to acknowledge there is the Solent Complex, which is a brand new, modern leisure centre. Something like 16 of the groups that previously used St Marys Leisure Centre and now using the Solent Complex.”

The council says its preference would be for the site to be turned into housing after the sale which could take up to a year to complete.

Campaigners now plan to launch a petition and protest outside the Civic offices ahead of a full council meeting today.

Campaigner Nick Chaffey told the Echo: “We will present our petitions, signed by over 1,500 people and put our proposal to the full council meeting to immediately re-open SMLC and for the council to fund and run the centre.”