'Ageing' leisure centres set for £30m overhaul

New plans are in progress for centres like Everton Park Lifestyles gym

"Ageing" leisure centres in Liverpool "risk falling behind" and could face closure without investment, the city council has warned.

With an ambition to make the city "the most active in England by 2040", the city's leisure facilities are set to undergo a transformation to become a network of "wellbeing community hubs".

Members of the council's cabinet are expected to sign off on a five-year £30m scheme later that will radically change how sites across the city are used.

According to a new strategy for leisure services, about half of Liverpool's centres are more than 30 years old and in need of an upgrade.

The council said the "ageing" leisure centres are increasingly under threat of closure and will not provide enough support "for those who rely on them most, particularly people in disadvantaged areas who face the greatest health inequalities".

Officials said the launch of the strategy provided an "unprecedented opportunity to reimagine leisure for the future", the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Facilities upgraded

By 2030, the council is expected to spend more than £5m on feasibility studies, essential modernisation works, and the additional capacity required to prepare for the wider transformation.

The document added: "Our centres will evolve into integrated wellbeing hubs. This means they will still offer gyms, pools, and sports, but they will also become welcoming places where people can access health programmes, join community activities, and connect with wider support."

Last month, council offered an update on two of its sites.

Since December 2023, Park Road and Everton Park Lifestyles sites have been subject to discussions with potential operators to take the locations on.

The council said it had held detailed discussions with the City of Liverpool Gymnastics Foundation and St Joseph Catholic Multi Academy Trust.

For Everton Park, a long-lease agreement is now being explored. This would allow the Academy Trust to operate the centre while maintaining public access.

At Park Road, plans are being developed for a multi-partner sports hub, including its role as a national centre of best practice in gymnastics.

Work is also continuing at the Peter Lloyd centre in Tuebrook, where the majority of pool upgrades are complete.

The pool is expected to open in early 2026.