Leisure centre work to start after delays

The building of a £15 million leisure centre at Bilston's Urban Village has been delayed for more than four months by planning procedures, it emerged today.

Work was originally due to begin on the state-of-the-art facility in May, but Wolverhampton City Council has revealed that contractors will now not be employed until the end of this month. The two-storey centre will mark the start of the £200m urban village development which will also include 1,000 new homes, a medical centre and academy school.

After months of landscaping work on the 100-acre site, off the Black Country Route between Morrisons supermarket and Bilston High School, the start of the centre project is on the horizon.

The new facility will create 33 jobs and will feature a 25m swimming pool, health and fitness suite, four squash courts, changing rooms and meeting rooms.

It will replace the existing centre in Prouds Lane which has problems with poor ventilation and inadequate roofing.

Chris Huddart, Wolverhampton City Council's head of community services, said today: "We are very near to starting work on the construction of the new leisure centre.

"Some outstanding conditions arising from the planning application are likely to be resolved in the next two weeks.

"We will then be in a position to sign a contract with our chosen contractors and work will then commence on site." The bulk of the urban village development should be completed in 10 years and is expected to include allotments, parkland and provision for a new Metro tram stop.

Bilston Urban Village is one of the biggest regeneration projects in Wolverhampton. Other schemes in the pipeline include the £176m interchange scheme that will create a transport hub.