Plans for a £6 million youth centre in Haringey have been put on hold after funding concerns were raised by the Liberal Democrats.

Haringey Youth Zone, at White Hart Lane, is a partnership between Haringey Council and outside partner OnSide – a collaborative organisation drawing funding from the public, private and charity sectors.

The centre will provide 20 different activities – including sports, arts, music, employability and mentoring – for more than 200 young people each evening.

Plans to build the centre on a site currently leased by Woodside High School, in White Hart Lane, were approved by the council on Monday, March 19.

But the Liberal Democrats have questioned the long-term affordability of the scheme and suggested it could be delivered using existing facilities.

The party has ‘called-in’ the decision to the council’s overview and scrutiny committee, effectively putting the scheme on hold until their concerns are addressed.

Councillor Bob Hare, the lead signatory on the call-in, said the council had only secured outside funding for three years, after which it could face a bill of £1 million a year if another partner is not found.

“Given its budget situation, the council cannot afford that kind of risk,” he warned.

Cllr Hare added that concentrating youth activities in one area could make them inaccessible to children in some parts of the borough.

He said: “We should consider basing these activities more locally in already existing facilities like schools, gyms and community centres. That wouldn’t require new capital spending and would allow for a variety of locations.

“With this contract, there is a danger that we wind up spending more, so we can put youth activities further from the young people they are supposed to help.”

When the youth centre was approved, the council stated that a purpose-built facility would provide maximum benefits for youngsters.

The area in which it is to be located also has good transport links to other parts of the borough, it said.

OnSide Youth Zones have been opened across the UK, including in Bolton, Manchester and Wolverhampton, with more set to open in Barking and Dagenham, Barnet and Croydon in 2019.

Jamie Masraff, project director at OnSide Youth Zones, said the organisation plans to support all young people from across the borough, including harder-to-reach youngsters and those from deprived backgrounds.

He added: “We have stats that show us that young people will travel up to a 10-mile radius for high quality youth provision and given the fantastic, central location of Haringey Youth Zone as well as the expert transport links across London, we are confident, Haringey will be no different.

“We have every confidence that this offer for young people will provide a transformational experience, supporting and enhancing the current youth provision in the community.”