A town’s revamped swimming pool has been named the best water leisure venue in the UK.

The Maidstone Leisure Centre at Mote Park recently underwent a £2.5m investment with the addition of an Aztec-themed Splash Pad, featuring a variety of interactive water elements including slides and water cannons.

In addition, a new Amazon Adventure Soft Play adventure opened at the centre - a three-storey attraction designed for children aged 12 years and under.

The redesign has won praise from judges in the UK Pool & Spa Awards who named it Water Leisure Venue of the Year for 2024.

The centre is simultaneously having its green credentials improved with a £512,000 grant from Sport England.

The centre is run by the Maidstone Leisure Trust and contractors Serco Leisure, who in August were given a five to eight-year extension on the contract.

Serco Leisure also won the award for Water Leisure Operator of the Year.

Cllr Stephen Thompson, Maidstone council’s cabinet member for healthier, stronger communities, said: “We are absolutely delighted. The centre and all the staff should feel incredibly proud.

“It is wonderful to see that the work of our council teams, in close partnership with SERCO, continues to deliver such a great facility and services for Maidstone residents.”

Clive Bradburn, chairman of Maidstone Leisure Trust which operates the facility, said: “This is the first time in our history that we’ve won this prestigious award, but this win is thanks to the many colleagues at the centre who support our customers week in, week out to lead more active, healthier lives.

“The upgrade work at Maidstone Leisure Centre has transformed the place, and this award win is the fitting culmination of a year which has seen record numbers of visitors at the centre.”

The previous Conservative administration at the council had budgeted to replace the leisure with an entirely new facility by 2031, setting aside £60m in its 10-year capital programme for the work to be done.

Since the local elections in May, a new coalition of Green, Independent and Lib Dem councillors is in charge and the new administration has not confirmed it will continue the pledge.

When asked last July to repeat the commitment, Cllr Thompson (Green) said none of the £60m set aside had been contractually committed.

He said: “The new administration is committed to developing the borough’s arts, culture and leisure offer. We also want to improve the health and quality of life for the whole of the borough’s residents.”

But he said: “At this point, it would be premature of me to commit to open a new or refurbished leisure centre at a particular date.”