Call for leisure centre in town of 'drastic' health inequalities

COUNCIL MEETING PUSHES FOR £26.4M SCHEME TO INCLUDE LIBRARY AND GP CENTRE

- By LAUREN MONAGHAN

An artist's impression of the proposed centre in Eastwood

BROXTOWE Borough Council is set to lobby the East Midlands Mayor for funding for a new Eastwood leisure centre to tackle “drastic” health inequalities.

The starter plans for a new centre in the town were discussed in the authority's cabinet meeting. The council has been pushing for a new health and leisure centre off Walker Street since 2022 but an unsuccessful ‘levelling up’ government bid that same year had left initial plans dormant.

But last Tuesday's meeting sought the cabinet’s endorsement that the scheme be the “most important” regeneration priority for the council to approve and to lobby and promote the project to various funding agencies, including the East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA). The wider plans for the new centre involve a bigger library, a GP surgery, a swimming pool and gym, community facilities and about 20 new homes. It is estimated to cost around £24.6 million.