A community centre in Bushey unused through a lack of furniture, limited opening hours and high costs, must be made more available, frustrated residents and police have demanded.

Access to the Hartspring Lane Community Centre was a condition of planning permission given to a nearby estate run by Paddington Churches Housing Association (PCHA).

Sergeant Nick Caveney, of the Bushey Neighbourhood Policing Team, said the area was in desperate need of a youth centre and criticised the centre's 5.30pm closing time, limited furniture and prices that were leaving the hall empty.

Nita Derrick, 71, of Duncan Way, one of a number of residents wanting to run a group in the centre, said: "We have been trying to get the hall up and running for years and nothing is happening. They took away our old hall, the Hartspring Centre, and now we can't use the new one.

"I've lived in the area for 50 years and would love to muck in and help with activities for youngsters. The hall is only open until 5.30pm which is much too early. I see no problem with having it open until 9pm.

"I've heard that if the hall isn't used for three years it can stop being a community hall. This seems like a ploy not to keep the hall open. It's all iffy, nothing is set stone. The prices are so high that there is no chance we could run a youth or old age pensioner group."