Selby District Council (SDC) has announced that work has started on a £1.1m renovation of the North Yorkshire town's Abbey Leisure Centre, which is set to take six months to complete.

Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust (WLCT), which was appointed to operate the facility in September 2009, will oversee the scheme on behalf of the council - including the construction of a new aerobics suite and a health suite featuring a sauna and a steamroom. Abbey Leisure Centre's fitness suite is set to be expanded to 180sq m (1,938sq ft) as part of the work, which will incorporate a 70sq m (753sq ft) dance studio and a 50sq m (538sq ft) spinning studio. The gym will house 68 pieces of equipment supplied by Technogym.

The project also includes the creation of a new multi-purpose room, which will be used for functions, meetings and crèche activities, as well as a café. Centre manager Bob Lancaster said: "There will be a period of a few days later in the project when the gym is closed as new equipment is installed but in the main the facilities will be fully operational throughout the build.

Gillian Ivey, chair of SDC's social board, added: "Providing an aesthetically pleasing, modern leisure centre is key to encouraging communities in taking that first step towards living a healthier life." WLCT, which was awarded a ten-year contract to operate the centre, plans to phase the refurbishment programme in order to keep services open as much as possible while work is carried out.