After plans for Kirkby’s new multi-million pound leisure facility were approved at the Planning Committee, Ashfield District Council leader Jason Zadrozny spoke of the benefits of the scheme and welcomed its progress.

The committee voted unanimously to approve the council’s plans for a state-of-the-art leisure centre on land adjacent to the current Festival Hall Leisure Centre and Lindleys Lane.

The council has also been successful in its Expression of Interest to Sport England for £1.5m funding support for the project.

Following two consultation periods, the council submitted a planning application for the build in March 2020.

Major work will be set to begin in the autumn.

Coun Zadrozny said: “For years residents have been promised new facilities with a swimming pool and today they absolutely move forward.

“Today we were granted full planning permission for a brand new leisure centre, two swimming pools, a cinema, a gym a climb area, a cafe. The future is looking incredibly bright.

“For all those residents who have wondered whether this would actually ever happen – well it’s happening.

“We’ve got the permission, we have now got a funding package that is almost £15.5 million to regenerate this site and I want to thank our partners at Sport England and Enterprise Partnership who have funded us by £3m.”