Gloucester councillors welcome plans to refurbish The Oval's court

Plans to charge people to use a city-centre tennis court have been scrapped.

Gloucester City Council and Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) had proposed plans to refurbish The Oval and introduce a booking system.

A survey found most people opposed the idea and different refurbishment plans are now set to go ahead.

Councillor Tree Chambers said: "I believe the council's decision not to pursue charges is the right one."

Around £30,000 to £35,000 of developer contribution funds will be used to resurface the courts and install new fences, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

According to the culture and leisure cabinet member, Andy Lewis, the LTA had plans to spend £150,000 on the site.

However, these plans involved introducing a booking system and charging people to play.

Mr Lewis opposed the idea, saying: "In this day and age where they've been having it for free for so long, why do we want to charge people?

"There's a utility cost crisis and everyone's bills have gone up.

"The LTA's plans were wrong for the people of Moreland, and it's wrong for the people of Gloucester and that's all there is to it," he added.

Moreland's two Labour councillors that campaigned against the proposals have welcomed the council's decision.

The Labour group leader, Terry Pullen, said his councillors were shocked earlier this year when they heard MP Richard Graham's plans to refurbish the tennis court at a cost to local people,

He said: "Thankfully the council have scrapped his proposals and have agreed to resurface and invest in the courts themselves."

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