A "DISAPPOINTING" failure to sell Matlock's former leisure centre has been blamed on the current state of the property market.
Sherwood Hall was closed down in September despite protests from residents and club members who said they had nowhere else to go for sport.
The building was put up for auction with Barnard Marcus in London on April 17 and despite bids of up to £92
0,000 it failed to meet the reserve price and sell.
Bosses at Derbyshire Dales District Council, which owns the building, have said the money will go towards the development of a new leisure centre for the Matlock area which will be built on The Dimple.
The issue was discussed during a council meeting at Matlock Town Hall on Thursday when Cllr Simon Spencer said the sale was not "critical".
He added: "This is a disappointing situation which can be put down to the property market generally."
Cllr Spencer told councillors that the building would now be put on the open market and entered into other auctions.
He said: "We would like to dispose of it as soon as possible."
The sale of Sherwood Hall was originally postponed following the closure of the building after a complaint to the Local Government Ombudsman was made over the way the hall was closed without a public consultation.
But in January the district council decided to press ahead with the sale because officers felt the money from the sale of the building was needed for the new leisure centre project.
During the meeting on Thursday Cllr Stephen Flitter said he was surprised that the sale of the hall was no longer critical for the leisure centre project.
He added: "A few months ago when it was closing it was very critical to the finance."
The leisure centre project was awarded a £3 million grant in November but Cllr Spencer said this had not changed how quickly the hall needed to be sold.
angela.walsh@derbyshire.times.co.uk
