COUNCILLORS have put the brakes on plans to develop a Kirkby Stephen sports hall for community use.

Members of Eden District Council's community and economy committee agreed to temporarily shelve an application, submitted by Kirkby Stephen Grammar School, for £300,000 funding to improve their sports facilities.

Members decided to authorise officers to gather more information on the project and to produce a report outlining a more detailed scheme.

A report by the council's technical director Steve Huddart said that any support from Eden would have to be underpinned by a justified business case and that the project required further development and detail.

The proposals would see the school's 12 x 21 metre sports hall quadruple in size, enabling it to accommodate four badminton courts and a whole new range of school activities.

New changing rooms would be built and the facility would be made available to community groups and clubs for out of school use.

The school is planning to allocate £150,000 towards the £1m plus project and requested the contribution from the district council before applying to Cumbria County Council's sustainability fund to cover the balance of the costs.

A previous application for funding from the county council's new opportunities fund was knocked back at the same time that funding was secured for Appleby sports hall, which also received £300,000 from the district council.