New Leisure Centre on the horizon
Plans to build a multi-million pound leisure centre in Littlehampton have officially been given the green light.
At a meeting of Arun District Council’s Cabinet last night [Feb 8, 2016], approval was given to launch the scheme to deliver the new centre and to appoint the project team.
It is anticipated the new leisure centre will open in 2019 and is set to offer an impressive eight lane, 25-metre swimming pool, a learner pool with a moveable floor, an 80-85 station gym, a dance studio, a cycling studio, a four-court sports hall and a café.
With building set to begin in 2017, the centre will be erected on the site of the current sports dome and overflow car park and the existing building will then be demolished and the space landscaped.
Studies undertaken in 2014 and 2015 concluded that there was a need for the new facility and that the best location was the existing Sea Road site. This means the public will be able to carry on using the current leisure centre while the new one takes shape.
The estimated cost of the project is in the region of £16 million which includes the build and fitting out costs, professional fees, demolition of the existing centre and landscaping of the site. The actual cost will be known once the contractor and professional team have been appointed.
Councillor Paul Dendle, Arun District Council’s Cabinet Member for Leisure and Amenities, said: “We are confident that the iconic new leisure centre will bring greatly-needed health benefits to Littlehampton by inspiring a new generation to take up sport, and encourage those who perhaps have got out of the habit of exercising to get active once again.
“The new centre will have the space and the range of facilities to meet the needs of the local population and its creation will avoid the expense of upgrading the existing building, which would have required extensive work.
“Now that the proposals have now been approved, we are looking forward to appointing a project team and seeing the designs take shape. This is an exciting time for Littlehampton.”