Cash delay hits centre

A planned £15million sports and health complex in Sandwell has been delayed by a year in a cash wrangle.

The Portway Lifestyle Centre is planned for Newbury Lane, Oldbury. However, the financial package for the development being paid for by the Government has yet to be finalised, and has been blamed for the delay.

The complex will include a sports hall, hydrotherapy pool and gym, as well as a purpose-built GP surgery for Tividale Family Practice.

Councillor Steve Eling, finance boss at Sandwell Council, said talks on the final approval for the plans are taking an "inordinate amount of time", meaning that there is still no start date for building work, and the 2011 opening date has been pushed back to 2012.

It has been under discussion for at least three years.

Councillor Eling said: "This is extremely frustrating for us. We have provided the land for this project, which is being funded by the Department of Health.

"We want to see building work starting on site as soon as possible, but we can't do this until we get the final approval."

The development is set to replace Oldbury Leisure Centre and will also include a dance studio and climbing wall. Three synthetic pitches and a cafeteria are also included in the scheme.

The Government has agreed funding for the project, a partnership between Sandwell Council, Sandwell Leisure Trust, Sandwell Primary Care Trust and development company Sandwell LIFTCo.

Phase one has seen land at the site transferred to Sandwell LIFTCo.

The company will design, plan, build and maintain the centre for the council and Sandwell Leisure Trust under a public private partnership agreement.

Councillor Eling said: "We are still in the process of negotiating the development package for the lifestyle centre.

"We are hopeful that the full package will get signed off in the very near future."