Future of tennis courts in council spotlight

Angus Council is ready to call time on former Forfar tennis courts which have sat empty for years.

The all-weather courts were a popular facility beside the former Lochside leisure centre.

But the council closed them when Lochside shut in 2017. It was replaced by new facilities at Forfar community campus.

The 47-year-old leisure centre was eventually demolished in 2022.

And now the courts could also be cleared.

It comes a year after plans to create a gymnastics centre on the site were dropped.

The future of the courts has come into the spotlight through an audit of Forfar’s common good.

Angus Council is building an up-to-date picture of the land and property held by each burgh with a common good fund.

The list includes Forfar Loch Country Park, which contains the courts.

The common good report says: “The council had been progressing a proposal for the construction of a gymnastics centre from a local gymnastics club by way of a community asset transfer (Cat) but the club subsequently decided not to proceed with their proposal.

“Currently there are no other proposals for the tennis court area.

“It is currently under consideration that the courts be removed and the land reinstated to parkland in due course.”

Phoenix Gymnastics Club struck the Cat deal with the council in 2019 for a 99-year lease.

But the club told the council in February 2023 the plan would not be going ahead.

Club officials blamed spiralling costs and the terms of the lease deal for the decision.

The council is yet to bring forward a plan to get rid of the old courts.