New lease for leisure centre, council says

Wealden District Council has secured a new lease for Uckfield Leisure Centre until 2042, it says

A leisure centre which was previously at risk of closure has now secured a lease until 2042, Wealden District Council says.

Uckfield Leisure Centre had been subject to a campaign to save it in 2023, leading to 5,000 people signing a petition to safeguard the site.

The council says it will now continue to lease the site from East Sussex County Council into the future, with Freedom Leisure contracted to operate the site until April 2027.

Contracts for running the leisure centre, alongside Hailsham and Crowborough leisure centres, will be awarded in the next 12 to 18 months, the council added.

Kelvin Williams, lead councillor for public health and asset management, said: "We have put £78,000 towards improvements and have already undertaken works which have included a new pool cover, destratification fans in the pool and in the gym, circulation pumps and a new chlorine bulk tank.

"There are further planned energy efficiency measures to be installed at the centre over the next 12 months."

Nearly 140,000 visits were made to the leisure centre between April and November 2024, a spokesperson for the council added.

In the same time period, more than 40,000 visits were made to the swimming pool.

Wealden District Council had previously agreed to hand the site back to East Sussex County Council in October 2022, but later agreed to seek a new lease after a campaign to save it.

The site was later listed as an asset of community value, meaning that the local community would be given a chance to bid for it if it comes up for sale in the future.

According to the council, Freedom Leisure has invested over £300,000 into improvements to the swimming pool as well as new fitness equipment, a spin studio and wellness studio.