First drawings reveal new look for busy Fife leisure centre

The business case for the £7.793 million improvement project was approved by Fife’s Cabinet Committee in September, and the decision was made to close the centre for 14 months starting in April while work is ongoing.

However, an official planning application with drawings and proposals has come forward, giving the community a sneak peak at what the centre could look like. The plans, which are now at the consultation stage, also give the public an opportunity to comment on the plans and give the council feedback.

Drawings show a brighter, newly refurbished leisure centre with more modern facilities and open spaces. The end result will also be more accessible to ensure access and movement for everyone.

According to council developers, the project has six main goals. If approved, the project would fully refurbish and enhance the dry-side facilities; accelerate maintenance works in the wet-side facilities; enhance and extend the gym space; create state-of-the-art studio spaces and flexible library spaces; provide more accessibility throughout the building; and relocate Library Services from the High Street facility into revamped leisure centre.

More specifically, the project would refurbish and modernise the existing swimming pool and gym facilities; the sauna and steam rooms would be replaced; the wet side changing area would be refurbished; and the sports hall floor would be replaced due to previous flood damage.

“The project is to provide a comprehensive refurbishment and enhancement of the Cowdenbeath Leisure Centre,” a planning statement said.

“An overview of the works include reconfiguration and refurbishments to dry side facilities to make it more inclusive and improve activity spaces to attract additional customers to the centre.”

The statement continued: “The current wet side facilities will incorporate essential planned maintenance works to take advantage of the closure of the facility for the refurbishment. The project will also integrate Fife Cultural Trust library services into the leisure centre by relocating the library from the facility based on the High Street.”

As it currently stands, Cowdenbeath Leisure Centre is operated by Fife Sports and Leisure Trust and attracts nearly 150,000 visitors per year. However, a planning statement warned that improvements are urgently needed.

“If the facility does not carry out improvements in the near future, it will increase the likelihood of future maintenance closures to a deteriorating facility and result in disruption to community health and wellbeing services and loss of council income,” planning papers said. “The new building will be a local focal point for the community, retain identity within the community and will have a significant impact in terms of improved community cohesion and community pride.”

The plans are out for public consultation until January 23 on the Fife Council planning portal. After that date, the council will consider the application and make a decision in due course.