Work begins on Fakenham’s new Leisure and Sports Hub

Work has now begun on a multi-million-pound transformation of Fakenham’s leisure centre. The new Fakenham Leisure and Sports Hub – owned by North Norfolk District Council (NNDC) – will meet growing demand for modern inclusive facilities.

Set to open in December 2026, the new hub will provide a four-lane, 25m swimming pool, with a shallow water depth of 0.9m increasing to 1.5m at the deep end. There will also be an extended fitness suite, refurbished sports and gym facilities and a remodelled entrance and café.

The fitness suite is located at the front of the building to provide an active frontage to the building and a ‘shop window’, promoting the facility to users of the site. The space will accommodate approximately 60 fitness stations, with lockers available adjacent to the entrance to the room, in addition to the dry changing facilities.

The new hub will include a range of carbon reduction measures, including solar panels, heat pumps and an EV charging point. Reducing the centre’s carbon footprint will be an important contribution to NNDC’s objective of meeting its net-zero target and represents an investment of around £1m.

NNDC Leader, Tim Adams, said: “This is going to be so important for the future of Fakenham as a growing town. “I believe that this facility will put it on the map as a local destination for activity, and I know lots of surrounding villages will use it. As Fakenham grows and develops over the coming years, we know how important sports and leisure is going to be as the town expands.”

The £11m redevelopment – led by Alliance Leisure and designed by Saunders Boston Architects – is part of a broader vision to meet the growing demand for high-quality leisure facilities in the region.

The project has been made possible through a successful Levelling Up Fund bid submitted by the Council in 2022.