The multimillion pound transformation of a Suffolk a leisure centre into a “modern exciting facility” has begun.

East Anglian Daily Times: Suffolk Coastal's TJ Haworth-Culf with Matt Johnson from Pulse Design & Build at Leiston Leisure Centre constuiction site Picture: SCDCSuffolk Coastal's TJ Haworth-Culf with Matt Johnson from Pulse Design & Build at Leiston Leisure Centre constuiction site Picture: SCDC (Image: SCDC)

Work on the £3.5million refurbishment of Leiston Leisure Centre got underway last week, Suffolk Coastal District Council (SCDC) confirmed.

The council’s cabinet member for customers, communities and leisure, TJ Haworth-Culf, donned her hard hat to help kick start the construction process.

“We’re really excited that work has started to transform Leiston Leisure Centre into a modern, exciting facility,” she said. “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 be partly reopened 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 we need to do this work to bring the aging facility up to the standard we want for our leisure facilities.”

The centre closed at 9pm on Friday, August 31, to prepare for the refurbishment, which SCDC said will “bring state-of-the-art leisure facilities to Leiston”.

The new centre has been designed with the council’s leisure development partner, Pulse Design & Build and operators, Places Leisure, and is said to includes 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 said 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. Once the work is completed, the new leisure centre will be able to host extra fitness classes including two new dance studios and a group cycling studio, which will also serve as multi-bookable rooms.

The refurbishment is part of SCDC’s five year programme to improve leisure facilities for the district and encourage more people to become more active. Earlier this year, SCDC’s Deben Lesisure Centre reopened in Woodbridge, following its £3.5m refurbishment.

Centre members have been contacted about their membership and options during closure.