Plans to demolish old Neath Leisure Centre submitted

Plans to demolish the old Neath Leisure Centre on Dyfed Road have been submitted to the local council this month, after the building was vacated following the opening of a state-of-the-art leisure facility in the town centre in February 2023.
After more than two years of planning and building, the new leisure centre  opened to the public in Neath town centre earlier this year, with the two-storey, 7,082 sq m facility based in Water Road, now taking the role of Neath Leisure Centre.
It boasts a new 25m swimming pool, learners’ pool, sauna, steam room, hot tub, 100-station gym, two exercise studios and a spacious cafe, as well as a joining library building that has more than 30,000 books, 16 public computers, and a dedicated children’s library.
However, the opening of the site means the old facility on Dyfed Road may not be a part of council’s leisure plans moving forward, with proposals to declare the land surplus to requirement having been discussed.
While nothing has yet been decided, if approved new proposals would see the existing buildings on the site demolished, and a master plan for the land created to set out suitable development opportunities for the future.
The application for the demolition was submitted by the head of service for property and regeneration in Neath Port Talbot, and could begin as soon as July 2023 if approved.
It would spell the end of the building on the outskirts of Neath town centre. The old leisure centre, which  is opposite a residential area backing onto Neath Cricket Club, was built in 1970 and refurbished in 1985.
Councillor Alun Lockyer of Neath North said: “Neath is a great town, though as a council we are always looking to make it better. Although nothing with the old leisure centre has been set, I’m sure there will be many discussions now on how we can improve and develop it for the future.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

By BBC LDRS ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​