A LEISURE centre in Woodley could be demolished and replaced with new facilities, the council has announced.
Last night (Thursday) Wokingham Borough Council’s (WBC) executive decided the future of Bulmershe Leisure Centre, in Woodlands Avenue, agreeing that, subject to budget agreements and planning permission, the centre would be demolished and replaced with a new leisure facility containing a sports hall, six-lane swimming pool, gym and fitness studio.
The centre was built in the 1970s, and its facilities are now tired and in need of investment to bring it up to a better standard. Bulmershe underwent some cosmetic refurbishment in 2014, incorporating new facilities and equipment thanks to investments from the borough council and managers 1Life. But at that time the council promised to look at future plans to sustain and improve the centre further.
The council held a public consultation over the summer asking residents what they think would be the best way to improve the leisure centre.
During the consultation period, representatives from the council visited several leisure centres already refurbished or rebuilt by other local authorities. These were centres recommended by Sport England.
Cllr Angus Ross, WBC’s executive member for environment, said: “I’d like to thank everyone who spoke to us about the future of Bulmershe Leisure Centre. We received some invaluable comments from people who either use the facility, or plan on using it in the future.
“These visits, and the information gained, were invaluable to scope the options and to identify the decisions taken by authorities and the risks they faced. By carrying out this research, and collecting feedback from our residents, we hope we can not only build something to be proud of but also a facility that improves health, wellbeing and quality of life.”
