They cost nearly £¼m and were put up only three years ago, but a question mark hangs over the future of the state-of-the-art Eastern Sails canopies at Lowestoft's Triangle Market.

They cost nearly £¼m and were put up only three years ago, but a question mark hangs over the future of the state-of-the-art Eastern Sails canopies at Lowestoft's Triangle Market.

The complicated structure, designed to honour the town's fishing heritage with its interpretation of waves, sails, masts and fishing booms, was beset with technical difficulties from the start and has since struggled to attract bookings from traders wanting to set up stall there.

Now, Waveney District Council is considering the future of the structure, which was put up to regenerate the upper High Street, but has been branded a white elephant.

A report to the council's executive said: "There is no budget for maintaining the structure, which is very fragile. In order to clean it, scaffolding would have to be erected.

"Members were also very concerned at the low level of use. There have been very few bookings since the facility was opened several years ago."

The matter has been referred to the authority's asset management committee for consideration and a council spokesman insisted no decision would be made without consultation.

Peter Cook, chairman of the High Street Traders' Association, said: "They haven't been used to their full potential since they were put up.

"They still leak and we have struggled to think what we could use them for. They have been a white elephant from the start."

The canopies were funded by the Eastern Region Development Fund, English Heritage, Waveney District Council and Suffolk County Council. They were supposed to cost £154,000, but an extra £75,000 was needed to complete the project, which has a complicated 3D design.

Traders hit out only a few days after the official opening in 2003 when rainwater leaked through, soaking their stalls.

It is understood a further £20,000 to £30,000 was being earmarked to redevelop the canopies to make them more user-friendly and reinvigorate the area before members of the council's scrutiny committee questioned investing more on the site.

Mr Cook added there were fears the money granted to the project could have to be repaid if the structure was pulled down.

Waveney District Council spokesman Phil Harris said: "If any such decision was made at some point in the future it would still go through a proper process of consultation prior to any changes being made at the site."