Hundreds sign up to work out

HUNDREDS of people have signed up for gym and swimming membership at Llanelli’s new multi-million-pound leisure centre but a big change in how the wider site is developed is under discussion.

- RICHARD YOULE Senior local democracy reporter

The new leisure centre opened last month and is the centrepiece of the first phase of the £200m-plus Pentre Awel development spread across 83 acres at Delta Lakes, Llanelli.

Pentre Awel - a leisure, health, business, education, and housing project - is being spearheaded by Carmarthenshire Council and funded by a range of sources via the city deal for the Swansea Bay City Region.

Ian Jones, the council’s head of leisure, told councillors at a scrutiny meeting there have been “over 600 additional sign-ups” for gym, aquatics, and other membership activities since the new swimming pool and gym opened.

He said usage of the leisure centre would be monitored and the council would try to attract new members from the local area - an area described by Cllr Martyn Palfreman as one of “significant deprivation”.