Warwick District Council’s Executive on 9 January gave the green light to further design work on exciting new plans to extend and improve Kenilworth’s leisure facilities, which will include the construction of a completely new leisure centre on the site of the current Castle Farm Recreation Centre.

The new centre will be built to the same high standard as the recent refurbishments of Newbold Comyn and St Nicholas Park Leisure Centres, which are receiving high praise from local people. It will include a 6 court sports hall, a new, 80 station gym and two fitness studios.

At Abbey Fields, the plans include the creation of a new family pool with the potential to be opened up in the summer months to give direct access to an outside terrace. In colder weather the family pool will be fully enclosed, allowing for a wide range of uses. The additional pool will help to meet the substantial demand locally for more swimming lessons, and will be welcomed by schools and local swimming clubs, as well as less confident swimmers, organisers of children’s parties and disabled users.

In warm weather the light and airy family pool will come into its own, with direct access onto a sun terrace with a café, so a swim can be combined with relaxation in the open air. The new family friendly pool would also incorporate a number of water features aimed at younger children which could be used in summer or winter. As well as this unique new area, the plans include the entire refurbishment and remodelling of all the public areas in the building, and a renewal of all the plant room equipment and machinery. The plans will also see the refurbishment of the tennis courts and the pavilion next to the play area.

Warwick District Council’s Portfolio Holder for Culture, Councillor Michael Coker commented; “The selected proposals for Castle Farm and Abbey Fields are extremely exciting. Following this decision, our design team will now get on with working up these plans and coming back to a future meeting of the Executive with more details of how we will provide the town of Kenilworth with some of the best facilities in the country and at the same time respect the views of local people in this very special location.”