Wednesbury Leisure Centre to shut for two year rebuild

It will be replaced with a new £7 million centre that is due to open in spring 2015.

Only the swimming pools and gym will be demolished initially, the sports hall will remain intact, but will be closed at the end of the month until the new centre is built.

The only building on site which will remain open is the GP's surgery, which can still be accessed by the public. Council chiefs say they will now 'fast track' the building of a new centre and have asked deputy leader Councillor Steve Eling and the working group delivering the new Tipton and West Bromwich pools to take this forward.

The pool was closed in 2011 after it was found to have 'concrete cancer', and now Sandwell Council's leisure bosses want to start work on building its multi-million pound replacement.

Council officers have now applied to Sandwell Council to flatten the swimming pool and fitness centre, viewing area and offices. If approved demolition will start in July and should be completed by September.

Councillor Eling said: "We will be able to provide a modern, energy-efficient centre which can give people in Wednesbury new, high quality facilities to replace the current pools, which are around 40 years old. This is the value-for-money option for the future.

"The next stage is for the buildings to be demolished and works undertaken on the site in preparation for the new building."

Wednesbury Leisure Centre manager, John Harling, said: "We are contacting our existing members with further information and exclusive offers. We are delighted to be running the new Wednesbury Leisure Centre and residents can look forward to an exciting pre-opening membership offer coming soon."

The new centre, which will be built on the same site as the current centre on High Bullen, will be of a similar design to the new £8 million leisure centre in Tipton.

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