CIVIC chiefs are being urged to allow an abandoned Eastleigh school become a much-needed community centre.

Boyatt Wood-based Phoenix Adventure Club wants to see the former Rookwood Infant School temporarily revamped as a base to benefit youngsters.

Hampshire County Council is considering selling the site for housing, but Mervyn Coombes, co-founder of the Phoenix club, which offers outdoor activities and sports to 30 youngsters, wants the school to be converted for community use.

He said: "A community centre could be a huge project. I do not want the whole building just for our club, which only meets twice a week.

It would be great to see it used by different agencies."

With hundreds of new homes earmarked for Eastleigh's Pirelli site, councillors have also called for the school to remain.

Eastleigh South councillor Pete Luffman added: "We are talking about getting rid of a school completely before we have looked at the need. I think it's a little short-sighted."

A county council spokesman said there was a surplus of spaces in central Eastleigh and added that a new school was unlikely to be needed in the foreseeable future.