By Andrew Topping, Local Democracy Reporter
Work to create a second swimming pool at Hucknall Leisure Centre is expected to be completed by spring next year.
Ashfield District Council went to tender last year to find a contractor for the multi-million-pound investment, with a planning application approved in principle by the authority in December.
The council is waiting for an issue over a public footpath to be resolved before the scheme can go ahead, but the principle of redevelopment has been given the go-ahead and can begin in the coming months.
Now the authority says a contractor has been selected to conduct the works, with the company to be confirmed publicly this week.
Existing leisure provider Everyone Active will take up control of the revamped facilities once the work is completed.
Under the plans, a second swimming pool will be created in addition to the existing revamped gym at the Linby Road site.
The redeveloped building will also include solar PV panels, providing what the authority described as an “opportunity to utilise renewable energy”.
This will be used to power essential building demands including lighting, heating, ventilation and air conditioning. The upgraded centre will also feature electric vehicle charging points.
Now Councillor Jason Zadrozny (Ash Ind), leader of the authority, hailed what he described as “really good news” of a contractor being secured.
Speaking in the cabinet meeting on Tuesday (February 22), he said: “We will be informed today [Tuesday] who the contractor is for Hucknall Leisure Centre, that’s all gone through.
“That means work on the pool at Hucknall will be completed within the first quarter of next year, around early spring.
“This is really good news that it’s moving so fast.”
The plans were given cross-party support when the authority’s planning committee approved the redevelopment two months ago.
Speaking in the December committee, Cllr Phil Rostance (Con), who represents Hucknall West, said: “Credit where credit is due, big thanks go to the administration and the authority for following through with this plan.
“Hucknall is in desperate need of the new pool and this is exactly what this will provide, so I’m in full support of this.
“The building itself won’t win any prizes for grand designs, but its functionality and what it will provide for the people of Hucknall is absolutely fantastic.”
It comes as the authority also confirmed there has been a “slight delay” of a few weeks on the opening of the new Kirkby Leisure Centre, which is due to open in the summer.
But the authority also confirmed the £15 million project, which is currently under construction, is forecast to remain within its budget.
Cllr Rachel Madden, the portfolio holder for leisure, health and wellbeing, said: “We’ve had a slight delay so we’ve had to put the opening off by a couple of weeks, but I’m looking forward to a grand opening.
“It’s going to be all-singing, all-dancing.”
Cllr Zadrozny added: “Although there’s a slight delay on the building work at Kirkby, mostly with supply issues, it’s only a couple of weeks.
“The budget envelope had a contingency and we haven’t spent that. Although we have the delay, that won’t be eating into it either.
“We’re still on target for a summer opening.”
It forms part of a wider £22.5 million investment into leisure facilities in the district, with the authority also making improvements to Lammas Leisure Centre in Sutton.
The Lammas improvements, completed over the past few months, include new TAGactive soft play equipment and autism-friendly lighting across the centre.
