A leisure centre in Ashby could be run by new management after plans to create a giant activity facility nearby were revealed.

A new leisure centre could be built in Coalville on a piece of land off A511 Stephenson Way, and would replace the town's current Hermitage Leisure Centre which requires significant improvements.

At the same an operator will be found to run both this new facility and Ashby's Hood Park Leisure Centre.

Councillor Alison Smith, deputy leader and portfolio holder for community services at North West Leicestershire District Council, added: "Hermitage Leisure Centre is a very popular facility – the classes, equipment and excellent staff there are a major draw for local people. However, anyone who goes to Hermitage knows that it needs some significant investment and that the site is limited in terms of increasing participation and offering new and interesting things for customers.

"A new centre is an exciting opportunity for us all – and particularly for staff and customers, who would benefit greatly from modern facilities. I’m looking forward to seeing the site report and hope that it shows this is a suitable place for a new leisure centre in Coalville."

The authority’s Cabinet has agreed that the council will enlist leisure experts to investigate the site, which sits near the corner of the A511 and Thornborough Road. If they decide to go ahead, the process of finding an operator would starts straight away.

Councillor Richard Blunt, leader of the district council, said: "The idea of building a new leisure centre in Coalville is widely supported by staff, sports clubs and members of the public. Bringing a state of the art facility closer to Coalville town centre with good access from the main roads makes sense.

"We’ve looked at a number of potential sites in and around Coalville and have evidence to show that this site – off the A511 near the roundabout with Thornborough Road – is the best possible option.

"Our priority now is to instruct expert consultants to investigate the site in depth and establish that it is a suitable site before we decide whether or not to go ahead and build.”

The new leisure centre could have facilities such as, an eight court sports hall, an eight lane 25-metre pool, a 15m by 8.5m learner pool with moveable floor, a health and fitness suite with 150 pieces of equipment, a multi-activity studio, large enough to be sub-divided into two separate rooms, one spin studio, three squash courts, vending area(s), a café/bar and a 250-space car park.

The decision to look into the building a new leisure centre in Coalville is being driven by three key factors:

  • The popular Hermitage Leisure Centre is almost at capacity and would require significant investment over the coming years to meet demand. A new leisure centre would both improve the facilities and increase capacity.
  • A leisure centre on the A511 site would be more accessible than the current Hermitage Leisure Centre in Whitwick, and sits close to complimentary facilities including Stephenson College, supermarkets and the existing recreation facilities associated with Hermitage Leisure Centre. This site is allocated in the current and emerging Local Plans for leisure use.
  • Bringing the leisure centre closer to Coalville would help support the regeneration of the town. Alongside a number of other projects, this scheme would bring people to Coalville for their leisure pursuits.

The site of the former Snibston Discovery Museum was also considered, but access issues and cost of the land also made this site unviable.