Work transforming a Suffolk leisure centre into an “exciting, modern facility” is set to begin within days.

Leiston Leisure Centre will close at the end of the month so Suffolk Coastal District Council can begin work on a £3.5million refurbishment.

TJ Haworth-Culf, who is responsible for leisure at Suffolk Coastal said: “We’re really excited about work starting on Leiston Leisure Centre, which will bring state-of-the-art leisure facilities to the area.

“The work will be completed over several stages with an initial closure period of about six months needed to undertake structural work.

“The centre will partly reopen once the first stage is completed, and we expect the whole centre to be fully reopened in summer 2019.

“I want to thank members and the community for their support for the redevelopment so far. I understand that the closure will cause some inconvenience but the work is much-needed so we can bring the ageing facility up to the standard we require.

“We are committed to getting more people active and fit, and the Leiston redevelopment is a key part of our Business Plan to provide access to high quality, modern leisure facilities that the whole community can enjoy.”

The new leisure centre was designed with the council’s leisure development partner, Pulse Design & Build and operators, Places Leisure, and is set to include a new spacious gym with modern equipment, and a new health suite by the pool area.

The plans also include a “village style” changing area by the pool, which is aimed to be family friendly with cubicles for parent and child, separate changing areas for groups, which can also be used by the public when empty and individual changing cubicles and showers.

The new gym will feature new fitness classes with two new dance studios and a group cycling studio.

The refurbishment is part of the council’s five year programme to improve leisure facilities for the district and encourage more people to become more active. The Deben Leisure Centre in Woodbridge opened in June following its £3.5m refurbishment.

Leisure club members have been offered alternative options during the closure.

The gym facilities close at 10pm on Thursday, August 30, and the rest of the facilities at 9pm the following day.