A new site for a town’s centre leisure centre has been agreed but a councillor has warned the cost will be “enormous”.

Tonbridge and Malling council’s cabinet members has agreed the Sovereign Way Mid Car Park would be the site for the new leisure centre to replace the existing Angel Centre in Tonbridge.

Members heard that the new centre would be carbon-neutral, but would come with a price tag in the region of £23 million.

The final costs cannot be stated because there is not yet an agreed plan of what the centre would hold, although a gym, group exercise classes, a spin studio, and family facilities such as a play zone and café, were promised along with a wellness hub, sports hall and flexible multi-purpose rooms.

Alliance Leisure Service Ltd was appointed to draw up proposals in consultation with the Tonbridge Leisure Trust that would ultimately run the centre for the council.

Cll Kim Tanner (Con) is the cabinet member with responsibility for finance. She warned her colleagues: “The cost is enormous - it will be the biggest project in Tonbridge for 25 years.

“We will have to borrow to finance it and every opportunity should be taken to bring the costs down.”

Giving an off-the-cuff example, she said that if the council borrowed £10 million at today’s rates over 40 years, it would need to pay back £670,000 every year.

But she also warned that the rates could change very fast.

Cllr Martin Coffin (Con) supported her caution, saying: “The figures being bandied about at this stage are eye-wateringly high.”

The town’s current leisure centre, built in 1981, is said to be no longer fit for purpose. In particular, it is a high producer of carbon emissions.

The council had considered spending money to update the Angel Centre to modern standards, but was told that was itself likely to cost £15m.

However, council leader Matt Boughton took a more upbeat view. While acknowledging there would be a need to keep a close watch on costs at every stage, he said: “What an opportunity this is for the town!”

Kay Sinclair, who runs the Tonbridge: You Need to Know Facebook page, was critical that much of the financial information to the cabinet had been in reserved confidential reports, which were not released to the public.

She said: “Where are the actual plans for what this new building is to comprise in terms of rooms, community spaces etc?

“Surely if there is a costing, there must be plans for viewing?”

There is a sizable number of people in Tonbridge who resent the imminent loss of the Angel and would rather have had that reworked.

The council decided to transfer £400,000 from its climate change reserve to the leisure centre account to add to the £8m it has set aside for the project.

Cllr Boughton has previously promised the Angel Centre will stay open until the new centre is ready, expected to be in March 2028.

In a social media post following the meeting, the council wrote: “Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council has approved Sovereign Way Mid Car Park as the preferred location for the new replacement Angel Centre.

“The site for the state-of-the-art facility will be convenient for users of the existing Angel Centre, close to the heart of town with plenty of nearby car parking and will offer easy access to public transport.

“While the design of the new leisure centre has yet to be confirmed, it is expected to provide a wide range of exercise, play and sports facilities, a gym, cafe and community space. The proposal is part of innovative plans to redevelop the area east of the high street, with the aim of enhancing the area and supporting future economic development.

“The 118-space car park is currently home to the monthly Tonbridge Farmers Market, and discussions are ongoing to provide an alternative venue for traders.

“The current Angel Centre remains unaffected and will be open throughout the design and build process. The new centre could be open by 2028.”