A VILLAGE'S long-running campaign for a sports centre looks likely to end in failure, because of concerns that the facility would be prone to serious flooding.

Councillors are expected to throw out plans for the centre, at Brompton sports field, near Northallerton, because the site is on a floodplain.

With the village suffering badly during the recent storms, the Environment Agency has told Hambleton District Council that it has grave concerns about a similar fate hitting the proposed centre.

The application, to be considered at a meeting next week, was made by Brompton Parish Council.

The centre would have a 300 square metre floor area, providing sports and changing facilities.

An Environment Agency spokesman said: "The site lies within the floodplain of Brompton Beck, and is known to have flooded during recent events.

"There is concern that the site may have flooded more extensively than shown on the existing records."

The centre plans also incorporate a function room, kitchen, office and garage, as well as extra parking places being made available.

A spokesman for the Brompton Recreation Association said it had been worried about the flooding issues.

The group held a meeting on Wednesday night to consider its next step.

A submission to the district council was made last month, but a decision on the plans was deferred to allow the Environment Agency to make further comments, in the light of the flooding crisis.

Hambleton planning officer Helen Laws said: "The Environment Agency did not originally raise an objection to the proposed building, despite its location within the floodplain.

"Since the recent flooding however, concerns have increased, and the Environment Agency is now strongly objecting to the proposal.

"The applicant does not wish to withdraw the application to allow the proposal to be reassessed, and no amendments have been received to attempt to overcome the objections."

The application will be considered at a district council planning committee meeting in Northallerton, on Thursday.