Dyrons Leisure Centre has reopened after a £2.7m redevelopment project as the Newton Abbot Leisure Centre.

The project was the result of a successful lottery bid by Teignbridge District Council in association with Newton Abbot Town Council, Devon County Council, Teignbridge Primary Care Trust and Sport England.

Open on time and within budget, the centre underwent substantial redevelopment over a 20-month period, which included the removal of asbestos, the demolition of dryside facilities – with the exception of the sports hall – and the construction of new dryside facilities.

The centre now boasts one of the largest gyms in Devon and Cornwall. The 350sq m gym has been equipped with Life Fitness kit, which is all IFI-approved.

Split into four clearly defined zones: cardiovascular, strength training, IFI and induction, the gym will help the council extend its work with the local primary care trust in GP referral and cardiac rehabilitation, said Karen Christie, head of leisure and tourism at Teignbridge Council.

“The new Physique Fitness Suite will enable an expansion of such programmes as well as complementing the ongoing initiatives of Walk this Way, a national scheme to promote supervised group walks, and Cycle to Your Heart's Content, a local initiative which aims to introduce people to the benefits of cycling,” she said.

In addition to the gym, the centre also features an aerobics studio for 35 people, a sauna and steamroom, a group cycling room, a 280sq m activities hall, a referral room to specifically cater for the GP referral /cardiac rehabilitation programmes, a crèche and separate school and community changing facilities.

The centre serves a catchment area of 55,000 people including approximately 3,000 pupils from the local Coombehead and Knowles Hill Schools.