PLANS to build a new leisure centre at the heart of Ingleby Barwick have been given the green light by councillors.
The multi million pound leisure facility, which will be located on the All Saints Academy site, was approved by the Council’s Planning Committee yesterday.
It will include swimming pools, a health and fitness suite, gym, community access library and customer service point.
And preparatory works to remove trees and shrubs will get under way on February 13, before construction of the centre starts later this year
Councillor Bob Cook, Leader of Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council, said: “This investment in Ingleby Barwick is going to create a fantastic and much-needed facility for local people.
“Ingleby Barwick has experienced huge growth over the years but lacks local public leisure facilities, particularly local access to a community swimming pool. The new centre will address that gap in provision.
“We have worked very closely with the All Saints CE Academy and the Diocese of York to bring these plans to fruition, and I look forward to seeing progress being made on site.
“Tree and shrub removal works will start later this month as that has to be done before bird nesting season. Meanwhile, we will get on with appointing a contractor to build the facility.
“The new centre will be built on the Academy’s existing staff car park – construction will get under way later this year and only after we’ve created a replacement staff car park.”
The building, designed by Ellis Williams Architects, is scheduled to open to the public in winter 2018/19.
The facility will be operated by Tees Active Leisure, which already operates three centres in the area on behalf of Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council.
To view images of how the leisure centre will look, visit the Council’s Flickr album at www.flickr.com/stocktoncouncil
A short film previewing how the facility will look can be viewed on the Council’s YouTube channel atwww.youtube.com/stocktoncouncil/videos