RESIDENTS have welcomed plans to build a new multi-million pound leisure centre in Hampshire.
Fareham Borough Council will pump £7m into building a state-of-the-art centre, including a 25- metre pool, on the site of the former Coldeast Hospital in Park Gate.
As well as spending a further £580,000 to kit it out, they will also build a £5m sheltered housing complex, providing wheelchair accessible homes for 47 older council tenants and those on the housing waiting list.
The 36 one and two-bedroom apartments will each have their own private balconies or patios and residents will also benefit from a communal lounge, activity room, garden and hair salon.
At a meeting, council bosses appointed Durley house builders Drew Smith to build the development, which will be partially funded by a £720,000 grant from the Homes and Communities Agency’s Affordable Homes Programme.
It comes as the council plans to build 500 new affordable homes by 2017.
During the meeting council chiefs also appointed Fareham Leisure Centre managers SLM Ltd as the bosses of the new Western Wards Leisure Centre.
They said that using the same firm to manage both centres will ensure facilities are able to work together for the good of the public.
Deputy leader and Warsash Councillor Trevor Cartwright said: “It’s really moving forward very well. I’m really looking forward to the opening of the swimming pool.”
The news has been welcomed by residents, who are looking forward to have a leisure centre on their doorstep.
June Brown, 83, retired, from Locks Heath said: “It’s about time really. They’ve been talking about it for about 20 years.
“I think it will be useful for people. There are a huge amount of houses around here with lots of families and schools and not everybody has access to transport.
“The old peoples’ home makes sense too because the population around here is a mix of elderly people and families.
Affordable housing “A lot of older people are downsizing now but not everybody can afford it so it will be good to have some affordable housing.”
Amy Cole, 26, a mum from Locks Heath, adeed: “It will be good to have a leisure centre nearby. I could use it for the gym instead of going all the way to Fareham. It can only be a good thing.”
While Ann-Marie Sherwood, 33, a mum from Segensworth, said: “It’s great because there will be more things for us to do around here. At the moment I have to go all the way to Fareham to take my four-year-old to a leisure centre. It will be great to have one here.”
n Work on the leisure centre is due to start this spring, and is expected to open in May next year.
