Leisure centre work to begin after years of delays

Work on a major regeneration project could begin by the summer, after years of delays.

Plans for Five Acres, in Coleford, Gloucestershire, include a new leisure centre, a multi-purpose sports hall, gym, community space, offices, and café.

But the £9m project has hit a series of setbacks due to rising inflation and increased construction costs.

Adrian Birch, Forest of Dean District Council leader, said the authority was working with contractors "to try and take this forward within the budget".

The funding, from the governments' Levelling Up Fund, was secured by the council in 2021, and the authority's deadline for spending the money has now been extended until March 2026.

Speaking to BBC Radio Gloucestershire, Mr Birch said the delay had been "extremely disappointing" and they had "expected to have been on site by now".

Council leaders said they are hopeful workers will be on site by the summer, if not before.

"There are a few things to do before that happens, but we're confident we will get this built eventually," he said.

Mr Birch also denied the delays had impacted on residents' health.

He said: "Clearly health and wellbeing are better served when you have a leisure centre to enable that to happen.

"But that shouldn't prevent people from going out for a run or a walk or cycle. We have a huge area of forest around us where people can go out and exercise."

He said it must be "frustrating" for people in the Berry Hill area who have been promised the facility for several years.

"We will be working with them to fund the sports pitches over the next few months and hopefully these will also be in place within the next year," he added.

Follow BBC Gloucestershire on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630.