Leisure centre will take over old Bearwood office

Sandwell Leisure Trust is investing the cash to turn the old Bearwood Housing Office in Smethwick into a new dance studio for neighbouring Smethwick Swimming Centre, in a bid to cope with the demand for classes.

The existing dance studio hosts 11 fitness classes per week, but, by adding an additional dance studio, bosses expect the number of weekly sessions to be doubled.

Bosses at the Thimblemill Lane centre are also looking to provide community activities during the daytime and at weekends, including tea dances and baby ballet.

Sandwell Leisure Trust's deputy chief executive, Ash Rai, said: "We're delighted to have been granted planning permission for the development of a new dance studio for Smethwick Swimming Centre.

"We aim to open the new dance studio in the new year which is one of the busiest times for our fitness classes.

"We will be offering a wide range of classes including body pump, bums legs and tums, aerobics as well as our own range of extreme 30-minute classes."

The new studio will employ one full-time member of staff and two part-time. The tuition of additional classes will be undertaken by Sandwell Leisure Trust group fitness instructors.

The Bearwood Housing Office was closed last year. It was used by residents to pay rent and taxes and was one of 11 offices shut to save £6.6 million.

Other closed include Kenrick Park, Ribbins Mound, Tividale, Tibbington, Cradley Heath, Great Bridge, Cape Hill and Stone Cross.

The latest leisure facility is a boost for services in the borough. Earlier this year the £8m pool on Alexandra Road in Tipton was opened. The leisure centre has a six-lane main swimming pool, learner pool, gym, changing facilities and dance studio.

Meanwhile, work is also progressing on West Bromwich's new £12.5m centre which is being built on the corner of Moor Street and Barton Street, and will include a four-court sports hall and a six-lane swimming pool and a learner pool.