A £3-MILLION bid for a new sports complex in Okehampton's Simmons Park is to be re-submitted to the National Lottery next month.

The decision was taken at West Devon Council's strategy committee meeting last week when members were advised to pursue funding quickly while Okehampton is still 'fresh in the minds' of lottery assessors.

David Inman, the borough's deputy chief executive, said: 'We are going to go ahead and re-submit to the Lottery Board for the pool in June.

'It's important to say at this stage that it is a conceptual plan.

'We'll be going back to the lottery and, if they think the scheme has got legs, then we go onto the second stage.'

The second plan is smaller than the original scheme which lottery assessors considered over-ambitious.

'Nobody should kid themselves that what we are putting in at this stage will be the same when it comes out at the other end,' said Mr Inman.

'This is the only scheme that we have found to have a strong possibility of eventually getting lottery funding.'

He said the scheme could be with the Lottery Board for about nine to 12 months.

'It's a long process,' he said.

Apart from the scale of the scheme, the previous bid was not felt to have enough local community funding.

The new scheme should include around 23 per cent local funding, raised between the town council, Okehampton College, the health authority and the local community.

Devon County Council has been asked to contribute £150,000 and the borough has earmarked over £400,000. Together, the figures should be compatible with lottery recommendations.

Cllr Nick Morgan, strategy committee chairman, said: 'There's been a lot of talks going on with the Lottery Board and I think it's more optimistic now — hopefully this bid will go through.'

Linda Church, leisure officer at the borough council, said: 'Just dealing with the building itself, there would be a sports hall, fitness suite, café-come-refreshment area which could be used as a meeting room for clubs, the swimming pool and reception area, and we are hoping to include a dance studio.'

She said there is also a commitment on the part of the borough to re-build tennis courts at the site.

Last year's plan included squash courts, club room, bar, cricket pavilion and extensive outdoor sports changing rooms.

Mrs Church said: 'This is still very much the first phase which can be re-designed. It's very much an in principle concept, a blueprint.'

Cllr Christine Marsh, mayor of Okehampton, said: 'I have got mixed feelings on this.

'I do realise we have to get this lottery money in and we must not lose the money from the borough.

'As far as I am concerned it is only conceptual — I am not happy with it and I am not happy with the site.'

Cllr Marsh said she would be briefing the town council on the new plans at the next meeting in June.