Leisure centre to benefit from £20m revamp project

The plans have been unanimously approved

Plans for a complete revamp of a town's leisure centre as part of a £20m regeneration project have been given the green light.

Swale Borough Council's planning committee has approved plans to significantly refurbish the Sheppey Leisure Complex at Beachfields, Sheerness.

The centre is set to benefit from a two-storey extension, new cafe, upgraded gym and an outdoor 18-hole adventure golf course.

There will also be an expanded GP facility on the ground floor of a renovated healthy living centre, which sits next to the complex.

Minster Medical Group's surgery and Sheppey Matters operate from the healthy living centre

Alliance Leisure submitted the plans in June 2024 and they were unanimously approved on Thursday, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Occupants of the healthy living centre, Minster Medical Group's surgery and the charity Sheppey Matters, had already moved out in preparation for the refurbishment.

The changes form the centrepiece of the Sheerness Revival project – a £20m scheme funded by money the council received from the government's Levelling Up Fund.

The regeneration work also includes an extension to Sheppey College and the refurbishment of former council offices at Masters House into a business hub and modern office space.

It has not been revealed how much the work on the leisure complex will costs but, in December, contractor Etec was appointed by the council to carry it out.

Monique Bonney, chair of the council's economy and property committee, said: "Improvements to the GP facilities and charity space are central to our plans for Beachfields because access to quality healthcare is fundamental to a healthy community.

"We also want the leisure complex to become a place for children to play, even when the weather isn't great, so our plans include the creation of a soft play area."

Nigel Martin, chief executive officer of Sheppey Matters, said the centre was home to services including a food bank, school uniform bank, isolation support and youth activities, which would be secured for "years to come" thanks to the project.