TENNIS courts gifted to a local community are being sold off for luxury housing, it emerged today.

The site, in Stamperland, Clarkston, is expected to fetch more than £1million on the open market.

Campaigners have fought for years to protect the semi-derelict courts from being developed but they are now up for sale.

Potential buyers have been warned they will have to outline why the area should lose the sporting facility on Clarkston Road.

Owner Stamperland Residents Association is encouraging developers to submit bids for the courts, which have been unplayable for more than three years because of drainage problems.

The six-strong committee insist the money raised through the sale will be reinvested in the community.

But one resident, who asked not to be named, said: "It's an absolute disgrace that the courts are being sold off.

"That land was gifted to every resident in Stamperland for educational, recreational or religious use. People here are up in arms about it."

The site was donated to the public by housebuilder John Lawrence in the 1940s and also houses a social club, hall and bowling club.

No reserve price has been set by property agents Graham and Sibbald.

However, a number of housebuilders are expected to compete for the prime East Renfrewshire site.

The prospectus states: "The predominant surrounding land use is residential. Consequently, any redevelopment should be sympathetic to the existing built form and to the visual amenity of the area.

"The council will expect justification to demonstrate why this sport facility should be lost, however some proprietary work has been undertaken in this regard and this can be discussed with interested parties."

In 2004, East Renfrewshire Council offered to donate £45,000 to resurface the courts but the plans fell through after members deserted the tennis club.

A spokesman for East Renfrewshire Council declined to comment on the proposed sale.

Joe Devlin, secretary of Stamperland Residents Association, was also unavailable for comment.

Last year, campaigners fighting to save tennis courts in Glasgow's West End failed to win political backing for a change in the law to protect sports facilities.

A Holyrood committee decided it can do nothing to support a long-running attempt by the Save Dowanhill Tennis Club Action Group to reform trust laws.