Leisure centre revamp begins

Council leisure supremo Alan Broadhurst took control of a giant digger to pave the way for £630,000 improvements to the artificial turf pitches at Fleming Park Leisure Centre.

The new pitches will boost Fleming Park's position as one of the largest public leisure centres in the south east.

The project has been funded through a major award from the Football Foundation - the UK's largest sports charity - which ploughed in an investment of £339,072.

There has also been a developers' contribution, £291,000 from Eastleigh Council, and support from DC Leisure, the council's long-term management partner for the leisure centre.

The massive project, expected to be completed in July, will provide:

Three new floodlit five-a-side football pitches. These pitches will be "third generation" rubber crumb, a surface that is designed to resemble playing on grass.

The existing main artificial pitch surface will be replaced with a state-of-the-art sand-based surface for football and hockey.

Around 85 new car parking spaces for leisure centre customers.

Last year four new floodlit tennis courts were opened and there have been recent improvements inside the centre including a refurbished changing village for the swimming pools and an upgraded health suite.

Major plans are also in the pipeline for the relocation of the leisure centre's main reception.

Councillor Broadhurst said: "Fleming Park, with more than one million users each year, is one of the busiest public sport and leisure centres in the country.

"The artificial pitches are used throughout the year by a wide range of individuals, clubs, teams and schools and I have no doubt that the new improved facilities will be of great benefit and much appreciated by our local community."

Council leader Keith House said: "This project at Fleming Park is another example of how we are using developers' contributions from recent housing developments directly into improving popular and well used community facilities."