Images of planned new Llanelli Leisure Centre at Pentre Awel development in Machynys revealed

A glimpse of the new leisure centre planned for Llanelli has been released following Carmarthenshire County Council’s commitment of funding in its capital investment programme.

Designs for the £27million leisure centre, which will form part of the multi-million Pentre Awel health and wellbeing development in Machynys, include a 25-metre eight-lane swimming pool, an eight-court sports hall and an adventure play area for young children.

As well as offering traditional lane swimming and learn to swim classes, the pool hall will include innovative water-based slides, inflatables and wet assault courses to provide fun and stimulating activities for people of all ages and abilities.

The sports hall will provide top-class facilities for a range of indoor sports, including netball competition standard courts, alongside a cutting-edge gym.

There will also be a dedicated adventure play area with ‘soft play’ equipment for younger children including slides and climbing frames.

The specification for the designs for the wet and dry leisure areas follows extensive community engagement, including the thoughts and wishes of local school children following a public exhibition.

Leader of the Council, Cllr Emlyn Dole, said: “We are excited and absolutely committed to providing a brand new leisure centre for Llanelli as part of the landmark Pentre Awel development which will provide social, economic and health benefits for the whole of Carmarthenshire. This forms an exciting element of our overall investment in capital projects to improve and raise the aspirations of the county.

“Whilst Pentre Awel is primarily a development to support the health and wellbeing of our communities, we of course want to ensure people can visit and enjoy this fantastic location for leisure too.

“Taking feedback and inspiration from local people, our designs include an exciting and flexible range of activity facilities suitable for all ages and abilities.

“We’ve no doubt that this new development will make a huge difference to the lives future generations in Llanelli and the surrounding area, and we look forward to seeing things progress in the near future.”

Cllr Peter Hughes Griffiths, Executive Board Member for Culture, Sport and Tourism, said: “We have promised a new leisure centre for Llanelli and we’re looking forward to delivering on that. We’ve got exciting plans for a facility that will suit people of all ages and abilities.”

The Pentre Awel scheme proposed for an 83-acre site on Llanelli’s coastline will be the first development of its scope and size in Wales.

It is due to be part-funded by the £1.3 billion Swansea Bay City Deal, with a total of £40million being sought for the project.

Already approved by the City Deal’s Joint Committee and Carmarthenshire County Council, the business case is now with Welsh and UK Governments with a decision expected imminently.

The scheme will provide public, academic, business and health facilities all on one site to boost employment, education, leisure provision, health research and delivery, and skills and training.

The project is planned to include integrated care and physical rehabilitation facilities to enable the testing and piloting of life science technologies aimed at enhancing independent and assisted living.

A skills centre will focus on health and care training, along with a clinical delivery centre to deliver multi-disciplinary care closer to home.

Assisted living accommodation will also feature, along with a nursing home, a hotel, expansion space for businesses, and elements of both open market and social and affordable housing.

Worth millions of pounds to the local economy, Pentre Awel will also create a wide range of employment opportunities across the Swansea Bay City Region as whole.

Pentre Awel is being delivered by Carmarthenshire County Council in partnership with Hywel Dda University Health Board, Universities and Colleges.

(All images: Carmarthenshire Council)