Plans for new Thornaby leisure centre as part of Town Deal approved

Plans for a new, state-of-the-art leisure facility for Thornaby Town Centre have been given the go-ahead.

The proposals, which are a flagship project of the £23.9million Thornaby Town Deal, and include a five-lane swimming pool, gym, sauna and changing facilities, were approved at a Planning Committee on Wednesday (4 DEC).

The two-storey building will sit on the former Phoenix House site and will connect into the existing Thornaby Pavilion with a link bridge.

A new entrance and car park, providing around 50 additional spaces, will also be created as well as improvements to the surrounding public realm. Enhancements will also be made to the internal layout and fitness spaces in the existing pavilion.

The new leisure centre is one of a number of key projects being delivered with the support and endorsement of the Thornaby Town Deal Board. The Town Deal Board is made up of local stakeholders from key public and private sector bodies, including Thornaby Councillors and the local MPs for the area.

The new pool will offer more learn-to-swim opportunities for the wider community, as well as school swimming partnerships and will be operated by Tees Active Leisure.

Work on the building is set to begin later in 2025, with the facility opening in 2026.

Councillor Nigel Cooke, Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Housing at Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council, said: "This is a really exciting time for Thornaby and these plans will only provide extra opportunities for the town centre, bringing footfall and adding to its vibrancy. It will be a massive boost for residents from the town and further afield.

"I've no doubt that the new pool and gym will be extremely popular with the whole community and I know how much everyone is looking forward to seeing this come together."

Mark White CBE DL, Chair of Thornaby Town Deal Board, said: "This is the next step in bringing about transformational change to Thornaby through a series of exciting projects. A new leisure facility provides a great opportunity for the town and has been supported by the hard work of all Town Deal Board members."

Find out more about the Thornaby Town Deal projects.