Leisure centre redevelopment plans revealed

Plans have been revealed to redevelop an ageing leisure centre in Leeds into a sports and wellbeing hub.Leeds City Council is aiming to replace Fearnville Leisure Centre in Gipton with a new facility, and said “good progress” had been made towards identifying funding for the scheme.Under the council’s plans, a new wellbeing centre could be built on part of the King George V Playing Fields, a 28-acre green space that is home to the current Fearnville facility.Indoor amenities would include a large main swimming pool, learner pool, sports hall, fitness studios, spin room and a 120-station gym as well as a community café and adventure play area.Major improvements would also be made to Fearnville’s outdoor facilities, with an all-weather pitch, tennis courts, skatepark and play zone among the proposed features.Tree-planting and soft landscaping would increase the site’s biodiversity, with insects, birds and other wildlife giving people fresh opportunities to get in touch with nature.Cllr Salma Arif, Leeds City Council’s executive member for adult social care, public health and active lifestyles, said: “The new centre will be a significant asset for Gipton & Harehills, Killingbeck & Seacroft and the wider east Leeds area, offering increased opportunities for physical activities while also fostering a greater sense of community inclusion and engagement among those who use it.”We want to create something that is a real source of pride for people across east Leeds and has a positive impact on their health and wellbeing for many, many years to come.”The council has made two unsuccessful bids to win support for a previous version of the Fearnville scheme from the Government’s Levelling Up Fund, so I am pleased that we have been able to step in and move forward with the plans.”