Bletchley Leisure Centre and Town Centre Housing get the Go Ahead

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 27th Jul 2006

A brand new, high quality leisure and community centre for the centre of Bletchley moved a step closer when Milton Keynes Council gave outline planning approval for the development last night.

The state-of-the-art centre, with hugely improved opportunities for people to adopt a more active and healthy lifestyle will offer:

• Significant sporting opportunities, which will offer a broad range of multi-sports including indoor cricket and football.

• Integrated play schemes and facilities, including crèche facilities, play and coaching sessions in sport and leisure activities specifically targeted at younger children.

• A community meeting space, available for hire to local organisations.

• No loss of public parking.

The new leisure centre is part of the regeneration of the town, which will include additional housing of up to 300 homes, more pedestrian-friendly areas and transport improvements.

Milton Keynes Council is taking the lead in developing this exciting project that will act as the springboard for the long-awaited regeneration of Bletchley. The key stakeholders in this project are the Bletchley Development Board, English Partnerships, Bletchley and Fenny Stratford Town Council and the users of the leisure centre and bowls clubhouse.

Councillor Euan Henderson, LibDem Cabinet Member responsible for Leisure, Community and Economy commented: "The development of a new leisure centre is key to the regeneration of Bletchley and will be the start of a programme of improvements that residents have waited a long time for."

The decision for a new leisure centre follows close consultation with local residents, 79% of whom supported the development of the new centre.