People can now take a video tour of the proposed new Sheringham Leisure Centre, which is due to open in summer 2021.

North Norfolk News: The new Sheringham Leisure Centre could look like this. Photo: SubmittedThe new Sheringham Leisure Centre could look like this. Photo: Submitted (Image: Archant)

North Norfolk District Council is building the £12.6m state-of-the-art centre to replace the existing Splash, which will remain open until the new centre is complete.

District councillors were told at an overview and scrutiny meeting on Wednesday, January 15 that a 'walkthough' video for the project was now ready to watch.

The new space on the council's website dedicated to Splash also enables visitors to find out what is happening on site during construction.

The mix of facilities at the centre, which is designed to be as energy efficient as possible, were drawn up by the council's appointed architect, Saunders Boston,

Current plans include a main pool, a small (learner) pool with movable floor, a splash pad water play area, a café, community rooms, fitness suite, multi-purpose studios and a skate park.

The new centre will be accessible for everyone and will feature a dedicated Changing Places room.

Virginia Gay, the council's portfolio holder for culture and wellbeing, said: "The new website will also answered many of the frequently asked questions about the site, and promote what we are doing."

Pool-users will have access to two types of showers and a spokesman for NNDC said the splash pad will allow younger children to have fun learning through playing with the flow of water through channels and interactive jets.

Groundwork on the project was completed in August and construction began on September 16.

The new centre has attracted widespread criticism due to the lack of a slide and wave machine.

These features, along with a sloping pool which mimics a beach, helped make a success of Splash, which was opened in 1988 by Princess Diana.

The council even received a petition titled 'Save the Splash Leisure Centre in Sheringham' with 2,142 signatures, calling on the council to refurbish the existing centre rather than build a new one.

But the council refused to debate the petition, pointing out that only 429 signatories were from north Norfolk - well below the required threshold of 750.

Visit https://www.north-norfolk.gov.uk/projects/sheringham-leisure-centre/