New milestone reached on £21m Morpeth Leisure Centre

The main swimming pool has now been filled with water – a total of 450,000 litres. It took five days to fill.

Work will soon turn to laying the wooden, sprung floor of the four-court sports hall. Meanwhile, resurfacing and realignment of the kerbs is currently being carried out along Gas House Lane.

This week, county councillors, members of the Morpeth Forum and officers from Active Northumberland paid a visit to the site to have a look at the progress that has been made on the £21million county council funded leisure centre and community hub.

Contractors Willmott Dixon are now in week 91 of a 100-week programme. The eye-catching exterior of the building is complete and the focus is now on the internal finishes such as flooring, lighting and paintwork.

After this has taken place, the centre will be handed over to Active Northumberland and Northumberland County Council to install the fitness equipment and the hub furniture and fittings.

Northumberland County councillor Jeff Watson, cabinet member for healthy lives, said: “We are extremely proud to be delivering this outstanding facility and it is great to see such good progress and this incredible building nearing completion.

“As a council, we have committed to the biggest spend on leisure services ever in Northumberland – with the work we have done here in Morpeth, the new sports centres in Ponteland and Berwick and major refurbishment schemes at Blyth and Newbiggin.

“Our aim is to provide the very best activities, equipment and experiences for the people of Northumberland to be active, have fun and to enhance their health and well-being.”

The new leisure centre will incorporate a six-lane swimming pool with spectator gallery, a learner pool, spa facilities, a four-court sports hall, a new 100-station gym, a dedicated spinning studio, two fitness studios, a café area and soft play.

It will also incorporate a new community services hub that will see the town’s library move back to its former home on Gas House Lane, a customer service centre and a new adult learning facility with classrooms for STEM learning and catering.

Coun David Bawn, local ward member, said: “The centre looks impressive from the outside and inside you can really see it starting to take shape.

“The contractors have done an outstanding job. The quality and breadth of facilities it will have to offer is fantastic for our town and surrounding communities.”

The new centre has been designed by GT3 Architects. Willmott Dixon is the official contractor and Advance Northumberland is overseeing the project management.

Mark Warnes, chief executive of Active Northumberland said: “It has been very exciting to watch this wonderful centre develop and to see the amazing transformation.

“We want residents to know that it is a facility that will welcome and support everyone – whatever their age. It is inclusive and accessible to all.”