THE former secretary of the Lord Nuffield Club in Cowley is hoping to get the facilities brought back into community use.

The Barracks Lane club, founded as the Morris Motors Social and Athletic Club about 80 years ago by Oxford car magnate Lord Nuffield, went into receivership in July 2009. Receivers have accepted an offer from Oxford Brookes University to buy the 30,000 sq ft clubhouse, which cost £4m to build, along with the bowling green, for £2.5m.

But former secretary Michael Kelly, and developer Eddie Costello, who put together a deal that involved building 70 homes on club land to finance the new clubhouse, are calling for a campaign to persuade Brookes to withdraw its offer.

Mr Kelly said: “We have a scheme in mind which would bring the club facilities back into community use.”

Long-term club member Paul Humphrey, supply chain director at Unipart Leisure & Marine, said that Brookes was being very conciliatory and that he was planning a meeting with them. He said: “I have put a business plan together which would allow local people to share the facilities.”

Mr Costello, of Chesside Homes, said it would be “a tragedy” if the local community lost the club, particularly with the Temple Cowley pool and fitness centre closing. Neither administrator Jeremy Willmont nor Brookes were available to comment.