The future of the former Hermitage Leisure Centre building is set to be decided next Tuesday when North West Leicestershire District Council's Cabinet meets in Coalville.

Councillors will be recommended to agree to the complete demolition of the building in Whitwick - with the land being retained for council services.

That is likely to include affordable housing or senior citizen bungalows, while not compromising the site's Leisure Covenant.

At last week's extraordinary meeting of the Community Scrutiny Committee - which had been deferred from June - a motion to include local charitable groups in a part-demolished building was narrowly defeated.

The comments made at that meeting will be considered by Cabinet next week.

But the recommendation will be that the building should be knocked down at a cost of £300,000.

Councillors will be presented with a report which will describe the current structural condition of the former leisure centre buildings.

The council says it would cost just over £2million to renovate the site - although this figure has been disputed by Whitwick Parish Council.

It has been closed since February when the new £22.5million Whitwick & Coalville Leisure Centre opened to the public.

Council officials said at last week's meeting it was costing £17,500 a month to maintain the building.

But the report will offer councillors options for the future of the site - and they will be asked to recommend an option that represents best compliance with the council's corporate asset policies and financial plans.

The report will also propose the re-use of the site to deliver other council priority services.

It will also seek movement of the asset between the Council's General Fund and Housing Revenue Account to enable the new use to be pursued.

But the recommendation will be that the reasons for demolition, as set out in the report, are agreed.

Councillors will also be asked to agree to a retention of the freehold title of the land occupied by the former leisure centre and car parking to be used for the delivery of other council services.

The council added: "A decision on the future of the Hermitage Leisure Centre buildings is required in order to comply with the Corporate Disposals Policy.

"The proposed course of action will enable the asset to be used by another council service to delivery council priorities.

"The decision does not compromise future consideration of a strategy for investment in the Hermitage Recreation Ground."

Groups such as Coalville CAN had put forward a proposal to make use of the building as a community cafe and providing activities for the area's young people.