A NEW £10.1 million leisure centre will be built in Wyre Forest.

At a meeting of Wyre Forest District Council’s cabinet on Tuesday, councillors decided a new facility would be the most “affordable and sustainable option”.

It will include a sports hall, 25-metre swimming pool, fitness suite and five-a-side football pitches.

The council will also extend its current contract with DC Leisure, due to run out in March, 2013, by three years instead of two, as originally planned, taking it to March, 2016.

That is to ensure at least one swimming pool will be open in the district until the new leisure centre is completed. DC Leisure manage the leisure centres in Bewdley, Stourport and Kidderminster.

The cabinet had already decided in January the Wyre Forest Glades Leisure Centre was no longer appropriate for leisure facilities and would be closed.

The contract extension means the Glades will shut in 2016 at the latest but it could be closed as early as September 30, 2013.

The Bromsgrove Street site would be shut before the DC Leisure contract expires if a new leisure centre was complete or to allow its development by any purchaser.

Stourport Sports Centre will also be closed, either when a new leisure centre is complete or at the end of the contract extension.

It was, however, decided the site should continue to be used for community sport.

The council is also looking to transfer the ownership of Bewdley Leisure Centre and playing fields.

Councillors have remained tight-lipped on the location of the new sports complex as it is currently negotiating a suitable site.

It was decided on Tuesday recommendations for the site would be consulted on and brought back to the cabinet to make a decision at a later date.

Conservative councillor Tracey Onslow, cabinet member for community wellbeing, said: “When we started this process, building a new leisure centre was not the preferred option but, having faced the facts, this is the most affordable and sustainable option.”