ONLY seven months after it re-opened, the Canberra Youth Centre in Melksham is yet again under the threat of closure.

With the lease due to expire in November 2017, Wiltshire Council, who own the centre in Spa Road, have made plans to move youth facilities to the new campus development when it is constructed.

Not enough local youngsters have been using the centre, run by charity Young Melksham, since it re-opened last November, and the town's neighbourhood planning team have earmarked the land for possible housing.

Young Melksham trustee Jon Hubbard said: “I was very disappointed with the neighbourhood planning team’s decision to do away with Canberra.

“We all know that the council’s ambitions are to dispose of it. The council want to move the youth facilities to the new campus but that is not good enough.

“We want an independent dedicated space for youth services in Melksham and not to be moved into a the new campus as it will not have the facilities we require.

“If the neighbourhood planning team think there is little take up for places then they should come along on Thursdays to see what we do.

“One of my problems with the neighbourhood plan is that it is done by a very well-meaning but insular group of people who have not come and spoken to young people and people running youth centres."

Nick Westbrook, a member of the neighbourhood planning team said: “We recognise that it is a decision of the Wiltshire Council to dispense with that site as soon as they are able.

“One of the problems with Canberra is uptake. The children have to get to the site and in the winter months it is very difficult for them to go to Spa Road.

“It would be better that they have facilities in the town, in the immediate localities.

“What we have said is one of our specific aims is to provide facilities for all types of people including youth services in the plans and they will be provided for.”

After the centre was closed by Wiltshire Council in July 2014 it was revealed that despite it lying empty the council was spending £11,000 a year on paying non-domestic rates, security and keyholding.