PLANS to serve up public land to a private tennis club have been put on hold after the Oxford Mail publicised the plans.

Vale of White Horse District Council will now consult residents on the deal which would see Wantage Tennis Club move to Manor Road Memorial Park.

Leader of the council Matthew Barber said: “The first time people were aware of it was in the paper.”

Park users then raised concerns over the scheme which would see the club run the two public courts in the park and build a new clubhouse and four new floodlit courts for its private members.

The club, which is a registered charity, would use money made from the sale of its Foliat Drive home to finance the work.

The long-term lease deal was struck by the former Liberal Democrat administration in February before the Tories won the council in May local elections.

Mr Barber said: “If you weren’t on the cabinet at the time you wouldn’t know about it.”

He added: “If it was something we had done from scratch we wouldn’t have done it like this in the first place. If the people don’t want this then we have to listen to them.”

The club also wants to extend the car park by 20 spaces but the scheme is dependent on planning permission being granted.

Ian Gannicott, 43, of Manor Road, spoke out against the plan earlier this month.

He said: “The response to the last article has been huge. I have had comments from people I have never met before.

“It shows this new council is actually listening to what we are saying. It is good people have come together and stood up for something important to the town.”

Club chairman Steve Thompson said it would refurbish the public courts and run them at a cheaper rate than the council.

He said: “I don’t really know why they need a consultation as we have already done a small one.

“But if there is one, we will give it our full support.”