Milton Keynes Council has cleared the last remaining hurdle in its efforts to finish work on the redevelopment of Bletchley Leisure Centre.

In June, a single request was made to English Heritage to list the building, which would have spelt the end of the £20m project.

English Heritage, however, turned down the challenge and Milton Keynes Council has received the go ahead to complete work on site.

Facilities at the centre will include a 25m swimming pool, a sauna, steamroom, a multi-use sports hall, a gymnastics hall, a 100-station fitness suite, squash courts, an indoor bowls facility and a café.

The new centre is part of a multi-million pound redevelopment programme, called ‘Building a Better Bletchley’, which will see the construction of residential buildings with around 30 per cent of the site earmarked for affordable housing.

The leisure centre is the result of a partnership between the Bletchley Development Board and various English Partnerships, including the Department of Communities and Local Government, the MK Tariff and Sport England.

The centre is due to open by December 2009.