New Dewsbury leisure centre a major step closer after budget agreement

Kirklees Council’s plans for a new sports and leisure centre to serve Dewsbury and Batley have taken a major step forward. At last week’s Budget Council Meeting (Wed 25 Feb 2026), £35m was secured to build the new centre. With funding now in place, the council has already moved to the next phase — working with leisure and health experts to shape the centre’s facilities.

The council will start work immediately on developing detailed proposals for the new centre, including engaging experts in sports, leisure and health to help shape a facility that delivers long-term benefits for local communities. That work will mean ensuring the centre has the right mix of facilities to make a real and lasting difference to health and wellbeing for people in Dewsbury, Batley and across North Kirklees.

The council aims to create a modern, sustainable centre that not only provides high-quality health, leisure and fitness amenities – such as a pool, gym space, studios or indoor sports provision – but also considers whether additional services could be co-located on site. This could include community facilities for local groups, flexible spaces that help build social connections, and potentially local health services, creating a resource that tackles health inequalities and strengthens community wellbeing.

The plans will build on previous engagement with residents and community organisations alongside evidence about local health needs, participation levels and future demand.

Leader of Kirklees Council, Cllr Carole Pattison, said:

“I’m really pleased we now have funding in place to deliver the new sports centre. As soon as the funding was agreed, we’ve moved straight into planning the new centre.

“If we’re going to make the biggest possible difference to health inequalities in Dewsbury and North Kirklees, we need expert advice. We need to work out which facilities people want and what kind of services will change lives the most. We owe it to people in Dewsbury to build a centre that works even better for them than any previous facilities.  

“We’ll put the expert advice together with all the things local people have told us to come up with a blueprint for the future. I’m confident that a new swimming pool will be part of those plans, but there are so many other exciting options for us to consider before we build the centre.

“There’s real momentum behind this project now, which is great news for health and wellbeing in Dewsbury and beyond.”

Specialist consultants are expected to be appointed in the coming weeks, and their findings will be considered by the council in the autumn. The council will then assess suitable sites for the facility before construction can begin.