MULTI-MILLION pound plans to transform a Hampshire leisure centre have come under fire as soaring costs cannot be ruled out.

When quizzed about the costs of plans to replace Fleming Park Leisure Centre, Eastleigh Borough Council chief Keith House could not guarantee the price tag wouldn’t rise above £24m.

He said a precise total will not be known until a building contractor has been chosen.

Fears have been raised by opposition members in the past after the estimated cost rose from £19 million to £23 million.

The leader was questioned by opposition Conservative councillor Jerry Hall on whether he could assure members at the latest full council meeting that the cost would not rise above the most recent estimate of £24 million.

Cllr House responded: “No.”

Cllr Hall asked if there was a figure which the council would not go above, adding: “There’s got to be a point where we say enough is enough.”

Cllr House said: “The pre-tender estimates are always that, they’re estimates.

“I can’t give council a more precise figure because it depends on A the tenders, B the business plan and we’ll see where it goes from there. It’s a really important project for the council.”

“We’re going to get it right because it matters in terms of both sport and recreation, the general fitness of our community and in terms of a regional facility that produces revenue for the council.”

Under the proposal, the Passfield Avenue venue will be demolished once a new state-of-the-art facility has been built alongside, which is expected to be in 2017.

The new centre will include a pool with eight lanes instead of six, a larger learner pool with an adjustable depth, expanded gym facilities and a 15-court sports hall and should open in spring 2017.

Architects AHR, responsible for a number of new leisure centres and the Swan Centre Leisure development, won the contract to design the facility.

A tendering process to find a building contractor will take place this summer with a detailed report to council in December.

Conservative councillor Judith Grajewski raised concerns that costs were not allowed to escalate beyond a certain point at a cabinet meeting last December. But Cllr House said then that the key issue was not the construction cost but the business case and the projected income.

He said the council needed to look at how to make savings on design and what could be done as part of the design to increase income.

Grants of up to £2m and New Homes Bonus funding of £3.8m will be put towards the project and the council is applying for a £2 million grant from Sport England.