PEOPLE at Halesworth are being urged to have their say on the future of sports facilities in the town as part of consultations that began this week.Halesworth Playing Field Association (HPFA), with the support of Waveney District Council, wants to hear what sort of things residents would like.

PEOPLE at Halesworth are being urged to have their say on the future of sports facilities in the town as part of consultations that began this week.

Halesworth Playing Field Association (HPFA), with the support of Waveney District Council, wants to hear what sort of things residents would like.

District councillor Mike Ryland said: “The last district-wide needs assessment high-lighted the general lack of leisure facilities in Halesworth. We would like to reiterate our commitment to improving provision in Halesworth and provide reassurance that our work with HPFA continues.

“We are now asking the community to give us more detail about exactly what is required, so that we can tailor our plans accordingly.”

Tony Goldson, chairman of HPFA, said: “If you look at the town of Halesworth and look at the population, we've got nothing. We want Halesworth to develop as a market town and we want to encourage people to come and bring up their children. To do that we need facilities.”

He added: “We are making plans and setting projects in motion, but we need evidence of what the town wants so we know we are heading in the right direction.”

Heads of sports clubs in Halesworth met for the launch of the consultation on Tuesday to discuss what they would like to see happen in the town.

Adrian Waters, chairman of Halesworth Town Football Club, said the club was well overdue for improvements. It could not take part in the U18s Floodlit League because it did not have floodlights; neither did it have enough grass space or acceptable changing rooms. “We're losing a lot of young players to neigh-bouring clubs,” said Mr Waters. “We just can't compete because we've got no facilities.”

Erik Wilcock, who runs Halesworth Tennis Club, would like to see indoor courts in the town. He said it would attract more young people into the sport. “There's probably a lot of people who live here who don't realise they're good at it because they're not given a decent facility to go to,” he said.

Rachel Ducker, of Halesworth Kuk Sool Won club, said it was in dire need of a new clubhouse as the present one might only last two more years.

At present, the town's sports facilities are pooled at Dairy Hill. It is so far undecided whether this site would be improved or if another would be sought.

The survey will run until Friday, April 16. Copies are now available at the district council offices at Halesworth, Bungay, Southwold and Beccles and at Bungay Pool Gym. You can also find it online at www.waveney.

gov.uk (click on the “consul-tations” link in the “do it online” section on the home page).