Plans announced for new £1.2m Fleckney leisure centre

An artist's impression of the new centre which the council hopes will open within two years

Plans for a new £1.2m leisure centre to serve a Leicestershire village have been unveiled.

Fleckney Parish Council said it wanted to replace an existing 1980s-built facility, which had become "old and tired", with a modern building.

The new centre would have a large sports hall, a fitness suite and a function room, the council said.

The authority said it hoped to build and open the centre within the next two years.

The current building, on the Leicester Road Recreation Ground, is to be partially demolished to make way for its replacement.

'Opportunities'

Parish council clerk John Flower said Harborough District Council had agreed to fund the construction using money contributed by developers who have built homes near the village, five miles south of Wigston.

He said: "The current building is serviceable but a bit tired and old. It's expensive to run and isn't an attractive facility.

"We want to provide something that better serves the village as it grows, which has more indoor space and allows for a wider range of activities."

Parish council chair Suzanne Wyche said: "This new facility will be a flexible space that will provide opportunities for local residents for generations to come."

A planning application is to be lodged with the district council later this year.