Plans confirmed for £14.5m Bulmershe Leisure Centre

Plans have been revealed for a £14.5m leisure centre set to open in Woodley, near Reading, in 2020.

Wokingham Borough Council has confirmed plans to build the new Bulmershe Leisure Centre, replacing an ageing centre built in the 1970s which has been deemed not fit for purpose, despite undergoing a £400,000 redevelopment in 2014.

Facilities will include a 25m, six-lane swimming pool, a teaching pool with movable floor, a 75-station health club, two group exercise studios, a sports hall and a café.

A planning application is due to be submitted at the end of March and the council hopes final approval will be secured by the end of August, with construction work set to take about 18 months to complete.

In a statement, a spokesperson for Wokingham Borough Council said: “The new leisure centre will benefit the local community, including young people, families and the elderly population.

“It will also help increase physical activity in Woodley and the surrounding area, including Earley, as well as help those with long-term health conditions.

“Council leisure facilities offer many preventative services, which contribute to savings within its social care budget which are severely under pressure.”

Wokingham Borough Council said the existing centre will close on 30 April. It is currently managed by 1Life, which manages more than 45 leisure facilities on behalf of local authorities.