Views sought on plans for old Whitwick leisure centre

The leisure centre closed permanently when its replacement opened

Residents are being asked for their views on what to do with a recreation ground and disused leisure centre in Leicestershire.

A community consultation event on plans for the Hermitage recreation ground and the former leisure centre site in Whitwick is being held on Thursday.

Options include a community cafe, ecology park, skate park, community orchard, new homes and nature trails.

An online consultation on the proposals will also begin on Friday.

After the new Whitwick and Coalville Leisure Centre opened in February the former centre was closed and decommissioned, North West Leicestershire District Council (NWLDC) said.

The authority said structural surveys showed the building was no longer fit for public use and it would take at least £2m to bring it up to safety standards.

As a result the council said the building was now likely to be demolished to make way for "new investment" on the site.

'Great potential'

Councillor Andrew Woodman, portfolio holder for community services, said: "With the new leisure centre open and thriving, we now want to look at how we can invest in the recreation ground for the community, linking this great site through to the new leisure centre and beyond.

"Our consultation in 2019 told us that most people wanted us to invest in outdoor recreation facilities that were free or cheap, and available for all parts of the community.

"The site has the potential to be a great asset to the community - and we want to make sure we're investing the funds we have in the right way."

The consultation event will be held at the new Whitwick and Coalville Leisure Centre from 18:00 to 20:00 BST on Thursday.