A study into the future of leisure provision in Craigavon, Northern Ireland, has backed the development of a new leisure centre to replace the local council's three existing facilities.

Craigavon Borough Council (CBC) commissioned consultants Mace Group to carry out the report, which has recommended a new-build facility at the South Lake site as its preferred option. Other options considered by the study included the refurbishment of the three existing centres - Cascades, Craigavon Leisure Centre and Waves - as well as a new-build centre on the site of the existing Craigavon Leisure Centre.

CBC has set aside £30m as part of its capital programme for the project, with the new-build option at the South Lake seen as the most cost-effective option, while also being able to meet the demands of local users. Mace Group's report included findings from a public consultation comprising nearly 1,200 responses, which found that 50.1 per cent favoured the revamp of the three existing sites, while 70.9 per cent of responses as part of a club and schools survey backed the new-build option.

A CBC spokesperson said: "Recommendations from February's special meeting of the leisure services committee, which received overwhelming support across all political parties, will go to the April council meeting for consideration. "With a detailed design and construction phase it is likely that the new leisure centre will not be complete until 2015, with the existing facilities to be kept open in the meantime."