A £3 million project to renovate North Herts Leisure Centre in Letchworth has been given the green light.

Improvement work on the leisure centre, which was opened by the Queen more than 30 years ago, was approved by North Herts District Council’s cabinet at a meeting last night.

The aim of the project is to increase the life span of the centre and improve customer services.

The plans include a new learner/teaching pool, cafeteria with a view over the pool, dance studio, offices, a ground-sprung sports hall floor, refurbishment of the wet changing areas and additional parking.

Councillor Jane Gray, responsible for leisure at the district council, said: “This exciting new development will directly improve the customer and member experience for the local community who are increasingly using the centre each year, and provide more opportunities for future growth.”

The refurbishment will be funded by both North Herts District Council and social enterprise Stevenage Leisure Ltd, which runs the centre on the council’s behalf.

Stevenage Leisure’s Jonathan Stone said: “We are delighted to be working with the council on this exciting new project, which will bring the community together and make them fitter, healthier and happier.”

Building is due to start next summer and if all goes well should be finished by April 2016.

The refit is expected to increase the lifespan of the leisure centre by 25 years – to build a like-for-like replacement would cost about £20m.

To save costs elsewhere, swimming lesson prices will increase by 10 per cent in North Herts in April next year and a further 15 per cent 12 months later.

Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation chief executive John Lewis said: “This is just the sort of investment we like to see in the town – encouraging people to get fit and healthy.”