It is hoped that the public facilities at the new Mildenhall Hub will start to open in a rolling programme from May 24.

The new £39million facilities include two new pools, a gym, 3G pitch, fitness studios and a sports hall.

Alongside the sports facilities there will also be a new town library, health centre, children’s centre and a new job centre.

The hub also has office space for the NHS, police, Suffolk County Council and West Suffolk Council.

Mildenhall College Academy, which will relocate from Bury Road to the hub in Sheldrick Way, is planning to welcome students back to the new school from summer half-term on June 14.

Nicky Hood, principal at the academy said: “I’m sure I speak for all my staff and students when I say we can’t wait to get into the Hub.

“It’s been a long-held ambition to deliver better teaching facilities and a better learning environment that can only benefit our students.

East Anglian Daily Times: The new pool in Mildenhall hub could be open by May 24 if government roadmap goes to plan.The new pool in Mildenhall hub could be open by May 24 if government roadmap goes to plan. (Image: West Suffolk Council)

“The chance to explore how we work with leisure, health and the other partners in offering even more to our students is just the icing on the cake especially after what has been such an incredibly challenging and unusual year.”

Because of Covid restrictions, and the need to focus on getting the new pools open, the old pool in Recreation Way will not reopen.

The Dome and Gym, however, will open from April 12 right up until the Hub opening in May.

East Anglian Daily Times: One of the new classrooms in the Mildenhall College Academy which could be open after the summer half termOne of the new classrooms in the Mildenhall College Academy which could be open after the summer half term (Image: West Suffolk Council)

One aspect that won’t be available from day one is the café, the opening of which is being deliberately kept back to allow the space to be used to manage social distancing.

John Griffiths, leader of West Suffolk Council, said: “The hub is unique, ambitious and exciting, and we are all looking forward to seeing it open and in use.

"The aspiration behind it has always been to provide better facilities such as the new school and leisure provision, with partners working even more collaboratively for the benefit of our residents.

"By having everything together on one site close to the town centre, it should make it easier to access all these services within one journey, rather than making several trips around the town."

These dates will still be subject to the final testing of the building and the roadmap progressing as hoped by the Government.

For that reason, different services have yet to finalise their precise opening plans but all wanted to share the target date as soon possible.

The hub will have its official opening ceremony later in the year when it is fully functional.