The addition of a new £5.7m pool and fitness suite at Weald Recreation Centre in Billingshurst, West Sussex, is on track for a September opening.

The project involves a new building housing the pool, being linked to the existing centre to create a new Billingshurst Leisure Centre, owned by Horsham District Council and operated by DC Leisure.

The extension will include a 25m four-lane pool with easy access steps, a moveable floor over one third of the pool area, changing and shower facilities, and a spectator area.

The new leisure centre will extend the existing fitness suite to a 50-station gym with facilities for people with disabilities, as well as new changing facilities.

The pool and fitness suite will be open and staffed year-round, seven days each week, while the existing sports hall, school gymnasium and all-weather pitch will be available to the public weekday evenings during the school term and all day at weekends and during school holidays.

Public swimming lessons will be available at the pool, which will also be used by schools.

The fitness suite at the existing Weald Recreation centre will close from mid-June as construction is completed, but the site’s other sports facilities will remain open. Existing junior activities will continue through the summer, but children’s playschemes and special holiday activities will be cancelled.

The project is a partnership between Horsham District Council, Billingshurst Parish Council, The Weald School, West Sussex County Council and Sport England.

A large proportion of the funding for the project has been made up of housing developer contributions from new homes built in Billinhshurst. The project also received a £680,000 grant from the National Lottery’s Sport England Community Investment Fund.