Nova Centre to reopen after £4.2m facelift approved

The Nova Centre could be re-opened with a new entrance and a cafe with a sea view

A north Wales leisure centre which closed in February is to re-open after councillors approved a £4.2m facelift for the building.

The Nova Centre in Prestatyn closed in February after the trust which ran it had funding withdrawn.

Denbighshire council agreed to the renewal plan, which will create a new cafe and fitness suite.

Meanwhile, Wrexham council has given £50,000 to a trust looking to reopen the town's Plas Madoc leisure centre.

'First class facilities'

Investment in the Nova Centre will see the 25m pool and splash pool retained, with changing rooms improved.

The centre will also re-open with a new room for exercise classes, sports clubs and community events.

It will have a "unique" large soft play facility, along with a new entrance, reception and cafe overlooking the sea.

Three retail units will also be be created on the promenade, while the building's roof will be repaired.

Jamie Groves, Denbighshire council's head of communication, marketing and leisure, said prior to the decision: "We want to provide first class leisure facilities that will encourage more people to get involved in activities, providing high quality settings for the benefit of the local community and visitors."

The authority previously set up Clwyd Leisure in 2001 to run the Nova Centre, along with Rhyl's Sun Centre and the North Wales Bowls Centre.

But they all closed earlier this year after the council's cabinet decided to withdraw financial support of £200,000 for 2014-15.

'Repairs too costly'

Clwyd Leisure ceased trading in February and entered voluntary liquidation, leaving 120 workers with an uncertain future.

The council has since said that the Sun Centre - an iconic leisure centre in Rhyl - would not re-open as repairs would be too costly.

The bowls centre was refurbished over the summer and is now running again.

The local community in Wrexham has been campaigning to save Plas Madoc leisure centre

Meanwhile, campaigners fighting to save a Wrexham leisure centre have been given a £50,000 grant to get it running again.

Plas Madoc leisure centre was shut in April as part of a cost-cutting scheme, prompting a community campaign to save it which was backed by former Wales footballer Robbie Savage, who played five-a-side at the centre as a boy.

Wrexham council voted to give Splash Community Trust a £50,000 grant and to extend the period which the trust has to reopen the centre until the end of November.

An amendment to offer the trust £100,000 over two years was rejected.