Fly-through preview of new centre

A dramatic fly-through video sequence shows a £15 million new leisure centre to be built in the Black Country. Work is to start on Portway Leisure Centre, Oldbury, later this year.

Sandwell Council's cabinet has approved the first phase of the plans, which include a combined health, well-being and leisure centre which is due to open in 2011. The building features a sports hall, hydrotherapy pool, gym and weight area, dance studio, climbing wall and floodlit football pitches, and there will also be a purpose-built doctors' surgery, Tividale Family Practice.

The centre will be one of a few of its type in the country to offer integrated health, well-being and leisure services.

Sandwell Council's health chief, Councillor Darren Cooper, said Portway Leisure Centre was an exciting project and people of the borough would be updated on its progress on a regular basis.

The council's web pages include details on the project and people can also air their views about the centre at the online forum Chat Sandwell or email an enquiry to the project team.

Land at the site in Newbury Lane, Oldbury, has already been transferred to developers Sandwell Lift Company.

A covenant which had been protecting some of the land planned for redevelopment had originally been an issue, but its terms have been changed to allow the building work to go ahead, while continuing to protect open space.

The company has designed the centre and will build and maintain it for the council and leisure trust under a long term public private partnership agreement.

The plans have been on the table for the last three years and the full business case is due to be signed off by September, after which work will be able to start.