Work to build the new £21m state-of-the-art leisure centre and community hub in Morpeth is now past the halfway stage. 
 

Contractors Willmott Dixon are in week 49 of a 94-week programme of work which is on schedule to open to the public in early 2023. 
 

This week the giant concrete pool tanks for the main pool and the learner pool have been filled with water to test to ensure they are watertight.    

Once the contractors are confident that the tanks are watertight, they will be tiled and sealed.  The roofing works are nearing completion making the building weatherproof, and insulation work is now taking place to the external walls. 
 

Once complete, the new county council funded leisure centre will be home to a six-lane swimming pool with spectator gallery, a learner pool, spa facilities, a four-court sports hall, a new 100 station gym, a dedicated spinning studio, two fitness studios, a cafe area and soft play.  
 

It will also incorporate a new community services hub which will see the town’s library move back to its former home on Gas House Lane, a customer service centre and a new adult learning facility with classrooms for STEM learning and catering 
 

This week, Northumberland County Councillor Jeff Watson, cabinet member for healthy lives paid a visit to the site on Gas House Lane, to see the progress that has been made.  He said: 

“It’s really encouraging that we are now over half-way through the build and the end is in sight.  Great credit for this must be given to all those working on the site in what have been some pretty rough conditions recently. 
 

“It really is going to be a fabulous centre, offering fantastic leisure opportunities for Morpeth and the surrounding communities in a modern, energy efficient building.” 
 

Mark Warnes, chief executive of Active Northumberland said: 

“It’s fantastic to see how far the project has come along in the past few months and we are delighted to be celebrating this milestone in the build. 

“We are now one step closer to welcoming the public to the centre in early 2023 when they will be able to access a wide range of first-class sport, recreation and wellbeing activities.” 
 

Other work that will be taking place over the coming weeks on the site includes the treating of the existing steelwork frame with a fireproof coating and the continued work to instal insulated cladding panels. 
 

The structural floor is now in place and the internal blockwork will be taking place on the walls of the ground and first floors.