TALKS to secure the future of a snowsports centre will continue after an initial bid to keep it open was turned down by the club’s landlord.

Bassingbourn Snowsports Centre, which is based at Bassingbourn Barracks, is set to close in March when the gates at the barracks are locked following the army’s decision to withdraw from the site.

The club’s committee is hoping to come up with a solution which will allow them to continue to access the club headquarters, which is used by hundreds of people each week.

But David Allanson, club chairman, said that plans put to landlords the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) have been turned down.

In a statement posted on the club’s Facebook page, Mr Allanson said: “Our landlords, the DIO, have rejected our initial proposals for remaining at the slope. Your committee members are continuing to work on alternative solutions and I will let you know when we have more news.

“We have arranged a meeting with the leader of South Cambridgeshire District Council and are liaising with the other groups that use the barracks.”

The DIO declined to comment on the reasons for their decision, but a spokesman said: “Local clubs and societies based at Army Training Regiment Bassingbourn will continue to have access to the site until March 2013, when the Army Training Regiment will fully vacate the site.

“The Defence Infrastructure Organisation is engaged in an ongoing programme of work (the Basing Optimisation Programme) to establish how the estate can be configured to best support current and future military requirements in the most cost-effective manner.”