A NEW fitness suite is planned for Colne Valley people.

Kirklees Active Leisure and Kirklees Council plan to build a new fitness suite at Colne Valley Leisure Centre in Slaithwaite.

But before the scheme can go ahead Kirklees Council’s Cabinet must approve the expenditure.

The new suite will be built as part of a major refurbishment of the centre.

The total cost of the revamp will be around £1.8m.

The fitness suite will have 44 pieces of state-of-the-art Technogym equipment, including resistance machines, cardio-vascular machines such as cross-trainers, bikes and treadmills.

The suite will be air-conditioned and have music and visual entertainment, as well as a relaxation area.

It will be based on similar new fitness suites at other Kirklees Active Leisure facilities which have already proved popular.

Clr Liz Smaje, Kirklees Cabinet’s member for leisure services, said: “The new fitness suite will give people in the Colne Valley the chance to exercise regularly in really good-quality fitness facilities near to where they live.”

Colne Valley Leisure Centre has been named second highest priority for refurbishment after Holmfirth Pool, following a sports centre condition survey in 2006.

Holmfirth Pool is undergoing a £1m refurbishment, which is set to end by Easter.

Work at Colne Valley Leisure Centre will be done in two phases.

The first will start at the end of May and last eight weeks. Windows, suspended ceilings and bar floor coverings will be replaced and improvements made to pipework, emergency lighting and toilet.

The centre will be closed while the work is carried out and the fitness suite would be installed at the same time.

The second phase of work will begin in August and last 16 weeks.

The building will be re-roofed, access to reception improved, family changing accommodation and unisex changing rooms added.

Better disabled access to spectator areas and changing rooms will also be created.

People can have their say on the plans by picking up questionnaires at Slaithwaite Library or the leisure centre until next Sunday.

from February 1 to 10.Comments can also be made by email to colne.valleylc@kirklees.gov.uk or by visiting the centre from 7pm tonight.