Work begins on £6.3m improvements to Fareham Leisure Centre

WORKS to make £6.3m worth of improvements to Fareham Leisure Centre are under way, with construction to continue when it reopens after lockdown.
By Richard Lemmer
Published 17th Nov 2020, 15:32 BST
Updated 17th Nov 2020, 17:00 BST
What the new children's indoor play area at Fareham Leisure Centre will look like after the £6.3m redevelopmentWhat the new children's indoor play area at Fareham Leisure Centre will look like after the £6.3m redevelopment
What the new children's indoor play area at Fareham Leisure Centre will look like after the £6.3m redevelopment

Fareham Leisure Centre, in Park Lane, Fareham, is set to include a larger gym area, a new studio space, and a new climbing area by the end of 2021.

For children, there will be a splash pad area next to the swimming pool, and the squash court will be replaced with a soft play area.

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Holly Hill Leisure Centre is also to be upgraded with a new steam room and sauna towards the end of next year.

An artist's impression of the extension to Fareham Leisure Centre.An artist's impression of the extension to Fareham Leisure Centre.
An artist's impression of the extension to Fareham Leisure Centre.
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Earlier in the year, Fareham Borough Council allocated more than £1.8m to support Holly Hill Leisure Centre and Fareham Leisure Centre reopening after the first national lockdown.

But Everyone Active, the firm that manages the two sites on behalf of the council, has not requested any additional funding for reopening after the latest lockdown, according to Councillor Sue Bell, executive member for leisure and community.

She said: ‘At the moment, we have not been asked for anything. So we are assuming because it’s a short lockdown (and assuming) there will be increased footfall after Christmas, they won’t be coming to us for more funding.

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‘We’re very excited to see the work to improve the site move forward.’

The plan to replace the squash courts with a soft play area had provoked a backlash from a squash league that uses the centre, with 160 people signing a petition that called for the council to rethink the proposal.

But the petition was rejected, and Everyone Active continues to see the work as essential for engaging people from a variety of backgrounds in exercise, according to contract manager Ryan Grant.

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Ryan said: ‘This is the first step towards welcoming the local community to our new and improved centre.

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‘Fareham Leisure Centre is pivotal in providing a wide range of facilities to the community, and this investment will ensure we can enhance this offering and continue to engage people from all backgrounds in exercise.

‘This positive news is welcome after the past few months and we will continue to work hard with Fareham Borough Council and our partner, Vincent Stokes, to ensure that every aspect of the refurbishment is completed to the highest quality.

‘We’re delighted to be able to continue improving the lives and wellbeing of people in Fareham and the surrounding areas.’

Both centres will remain open throughout the construction and refurbishment works.

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The council aims for all works to be concluded by the end of 2021.

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