DUDLEY Council has announced plans to build a brand new leisure centre in Dudley and give a major overhaul to existing leisure facilities in Stourbridge and Halesowen.

The authority has outlined a £22million plan to build a brand new 21st century Dudley Leisure Centre on its little used Flood Street car park off the Dudley Southern Bypass and to completely refurbish and modernise Stourbridge’s Crystal Leisure Centre and Halesowen Leisure Centre.

The news will likely be a welcome boost to sport and fitness fans who embarked on a big campaign to save the leisure centres when the previous Labour administration drew up unpopular plans to close all three facilities and replace them with just two new ones in different locations.

Councillor Ian Kettle, Dudley’s cabinet member responsible for leisure centres, said: “Over the last 12 months there has been a lot of discussion around the future of our leisure centres and it’s clear from what local people have said that there remains a huge demand for three centres in the borough.

“Although we are still in the process of working up the detail, this latest proposal demonstrates our commitment to retaining three centres as we move forward and I hope it will be welcomed by many of our residents."

Councillor Patrick Harley, leader of Tory-controlled Dudley Council, added: “We’re going to commit to investing in leisure provision for future generations and Stourbridge and Halesowen leisure centres will be retained in their current locations.

“We’ll be investing a substantial amount in bringing them up to 21st century spec.”

He said carrying out a backlog of vital repairs to both Stourbridge and Halesowen centres, which would be funded through low interest loans, would see them through the next 20 to 30 years.

The existing Dudley Leisure Centre site would likely be sold off as a development opportunity for new much-needed new homes but council chiefs have stressed the old leisure centre would not close until the proposed new facility, complete with swimming pool, was open.

A detailed plan will be worked on over the coming months and will be presented at a future meeting of the cabinet in February 2018.

The council has in principle committed £600,000 in its budget for 2019/20 rising to £1.2million in 2020/21 towards the cost of the project.