VICTORIA Park at Ashford will become home to an indoor bowls centre next autumn.

That was the decision of borough councillors at a planning meeting to hear the case for and against the sports venue at the park in Jemmett Road, South Ashford.

This week, opponents of the proposals have been left planning their next line of attack following the decision. But members of bowls clubs in Ashford have welcomed the verdict, which means they can now invite bids to build the centre.

Don Temple, 57, a Jemmett Road resident of 20 years, has campaigned against the venue being built in Victoria Park.

He said; "I think there has been a real whitewash here, I really do. The park is designated as a public open space and this is a private venture. I really believe they are on shaky ground."

Despite concern that the council was acting as judge and jury on its own application to build the £1m, six-rink indoor bowls centre on tennis courts at the park, councillors granted permission for the venue.

A new indoor bowls centre could cater for up to 1,000 bowlers in the borough, including those from two clubs in Ashford and others in Charing, Hamstreet, Biddenden and Tenterden.

John Kirk is on the project group for bringing the scheme to fruition and is a member of the bowls club which meets in the Stour centre.

He said: "If this centre fails, then indoor bowls will stop in Ashford, which will be a tragedy for all concerned. Bowls is still associated in many people's minds with older people, but this is just not true. We have a young bowler who is 11 and we have a gentleman in his mid 90s who still bowls."