Medway council has approved plans for the £5 million redevelopment of Splashes leisure centre in Rainham.

The council's cabinet agreed the refurbishment scheme today, which will result in the closure of the centre for 18 months.

Rainham North Councillors Martin Potter and Kirstine Carr welcomed the news with an update on their Facebook site.

They posted: "We are delighted the £5m full refurbishment of Splashes was approved at Medway Council's Cabinet today. We have been working to secure the future of Splashes for many years, and Martin has been on a task group which culminated in today's successful outcome.

"Proposed plans include the potential to provide modern changing facilities suitable for families including family change, baby change and showers; spaces for family friendly activities such as party rooms; future-proofing the centre by utilising solar power and rainfall collections; updating and renewing the fun aquatic play stuff; and providing a new café / coffee shop.

"We look forward to Splashes once again being a quality, fun family leisure pool for all of our community to enjoy."

However a report put before the cabinet acknowledged there would be an adverse impact on facilities in the short term, noting: "Development of the centre will result in closure for an anticipated 18 months. This will mean the temporary loss of Council-run sports facilities in the east of Medway for the duration of the closure. This is most likely to affect groups who may find it difficult/costly to travel elsewhere. Splashes is also popular with senior residents, with approximately half of all free swims undertaken at Medway sports centre in a year being provided at Splashes. Meeting that level of demand at other Medway sports centres would be difficult to achieve (although it is noted that social distancing and safety measures likely to be introduced at sports centres will already impact on this)."

But the report also stated that services would be available at Medway's other sports centres, and that the service management team will seek to offer suitable alternative provision for any groups which may be disadvantaged by the closure.

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