Leisure centre to host GP’s surgery in £6m revamp bid

East Riding Council is seeking planning permission to renovate, re-model and extend Haltemprice Leisure Centre in Anlaby, with plans to move Anlaby Library to the site and open a new customer service centre there.

The work would be funded through the authority’s capital investment programme, with the surgery then paying rent to the council when the new facility opens.

The scheme will also address a number of maintenance requirements and improve the centre’s energy efficiency, the council said.

Other facilities would include an extended “tone zone” fitness suite, a revamped pool and sports halls, a new cafe, renovated outdoor pitches, and additional parking spaces.

The council’s leader, Coun Stephen Parnaby, said: “The council realises the value our residents place in having access to high-quality leisure facilities, libraries and customer service provision and the plans for the refurbishment of Haltemprice Leisure Centre highlight this authority’s commitment to providing these services now and in the future.

“We had more than 1.1m visitors to Haltemprice Leisure Centre in 2011-12, which made it the most well-used leisure centre in the East Riding and the refurbishment would put it at the forefront of leisure facilities in the UK.”

He added: “The scheme is subject to the normal planning process and, if granted, would see works start on site in spring 2013.

“These will be phased to minimise disruption as much as possible and will take approximately 20 months to complete, with the final element of the works completed in autumn 2014.”

The council confirmed that the scheme would allow much greater use of services provided by the library.

It said the development would enable the library to more than quadruple its opening hours from its current 22 each week, as well as providing up-to-date amenities, including internet access and self-service machines.

The authority also announced plans to seek planning permission to merge the library and customer service provision in Hessle and Withernsea.