Larkhall games hall is 'huge win' for campaigners

Larkhall’s expanded new leisure centre will now include the addition of a three-court games hall following a successful public campaign and increase of almost £4 million to the available funding.

- JUDITH TONNER

The new facility is to be included in redesigned plans for the building, with June 2026 now the anticipated site start date in a revised approval and construction timeline, which sees all work stages pushed back by seven months following the budget boost and moves the two-year project's completion date to May 2028.

Councillors welcomed news of the inclusion of the games space as they were updated on the major project at a meeting this week, calling it “good news” and “what the people of Larkhall want”.

The upgraded plans for the new £27.75m leisure facility will now incorporate a three-court games hall “suitable for badminton, pickleball and five-a-side football” following the additional cash injection from South Lanarkshire Council in February’s local authority budget for 2025-2026.

It means the leisure centre will now have its own self-contained games space for racquet and team sports, instead of the previous controversial plan which would have seen users required to use games hall space at neighbouring Larkhall Academy when available.

Larkhall’s new centre will also still include the already-planned 25m six-lane swimming pool with moveable floor, spectators’ area, steam room and sauna, a gym with high-spec cardiovascular and resistance equipment and free weight training areas and a flexible fitness studio and community space.

The proposals are being upgraded after South Lanarkshire Council added an extra £3.85m to the funding for the centre - described as “a huge win for our communities” by Larkhall residents and community representatives after a campaign including public meetings and an 1800-signature petition, gaining cross-party support from local politicians.