East Herts Council is investing £33m to improve its leisure property portfolio.

The funding will be used to redevelop facilities at Grange Paddocks, Hartham and Ward Freman.

The plans involve two major leisure centre investments – a new facility at Grange Paddocks and the extension and redevelopment of the existing Hartham Leisure Centre.

The new centre at Grange Paddocks, in Bishop's Stortford, will replace an ageing building on the same site.

Facilities will include a 130-station health club with exercise studios and a multi-purpose room, an eight-lane 25m swimming pool, teaching pool with moveable floor, interactive water play features and spectator seating for 200.

Meanwhile, Hartham Leisure Centre in Hertford will be renovated and expanded with a new 130-station health club and additional studio spaces.

Willmott Dixon Construction has been appointed lead contractor, with the team also including architects Saunders Boston.

"These projects aim to support the Council's vision for leisure across East Herts by providing attractive facilities available to the whole community and contributing fully to the health and wellbeing objectives of the Council," the council said in a statement.

As part of the investments, the council has appointed Everyone Active to operate its centres for a further 15 years.

"The new contract includes significant investments that will help to create improved opportunities for people to be active," said Duncan Jefford, regional director at Everyone Active.