A glimpse of what the revamped Cowdenbeath Leisure Centre could look like have been revealed.
A planning application for the £8 million improvement scheme has been submitted which will see the provision of a refurbished, brighter centre with modern facilities and open spaces.
If all goes to plan, the leisure centre will close from April with the works expected to take 12 to 18 months.
The project will 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.
It would provide more accessibility throughout the building and see the relocation of the town's library from the High Street into the revamped leisure centre.
Outside, the three outdoor five-a-side astroturf pitches will be replaced with one larger synthetic pitch to "attract a wider range of football development activity".
As reported previously in the Times, the project will see the centre's in-house nursery move out of the facility for up to 18 months with a temporary early years facility relocated next to the Maxwell Centre.
A planning statement said the project would provide a "comprehensive refurbishment and enhancement" of the leisure centre.
READ MORE: Plans in for temporary nursery at Cowdenbeath centre
“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," it added.
“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 (FCT) library services into the leisure centre by relocating the library services from the FCT operated facility based on the High Street."
The centre, which is operated by the Fife Sports and Leisure Trust, currently attracts nearly 150,000 visitors per year however 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," explained the planning statement.
“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.”
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