Consultation on £8.36m revamp of Bury St Edmunds’ Beetons Way leisure centre launched by West Suffolk Council

A public consultation has been launched on an £8.36 million refurbishment of a town’s leisure centre.

West Suffolk Council approved the multi-million pound investment package for Bury St Edmunds’ Beetons Way leisure centre, managed by Abbeycroft, in March.

Now, they are seeking the public’s views on a raft of proposed changes to the venue.

These include a conversion of areas of its swimming pool, a new café and the creation of a health and wellbeing area among others.

Ian Shipp, cabinet member for leisure at West Suffolk Council, said: “Refurbishing the leisure centre will provide the opportunity to improve the facility, enhancing what it has to offer so that they are better matched to what people need.

“At a time when many councils nationally may be cutting back on things like leisure, we are looking to invest.

“We want people, those who use the leisure centre and those who aren’t using it yet, to give their views and help shape its future.”

Works to the existing leisure centre are needed after plans for the Western Way Development, which would’ve included building a new site, were scrapped in September.

The council has allocated £6.2 million for the work and an extra £2.16 million will be subject to the outcome of the public consultation.

The refurb would see the new proposed new café created through a conversion of part of the leisure pool space, while the same pool would also see a splash pad created with water play features, as well as retention of the flumes.

The plans detail a face lift for the venue’s changing areas and poolside showers and toilets. They would also see the pool halls refurbished and a the moveable pool floor replaced in the activity pool.

The proposed new health and wellbeing suite would have eight treatment rooms, while the leisure centre’s gym would be revamped, including the creation of an E-gym and a dedicated spin studio.

The venue’s sports hall would gain a new timber floor.

Warren Smyth, chief executive officer of Abbeycroft said: “The proposed options to refurbish the leisure centre are very positive and will help improve the experience to all visitors.

“We welcome the views of our customer base and user groups via the public consultation which we will be sharing in due course.”

The consultation started on Thursday, and will run until September 26. Details on the survey and the proposed changes can be found on the council’s website.