Work on demolishing the former Hermitage Leisure Centre in Whitwick is to begin next week.

North West Leicestershire District Council has announced contractors will begin taking the building down on Tuesday, January 3.

The decision to do away with the building was taken by the council in September - and follows the opening of the new £22.5million Whitwick & Coalville Leisure Centre almost a year ago.

But the council says that the future of the site is still 'to be decided', although it is expected to be the location for affordable or retirement housing, with work planned to invest in the Recreation Ground itself.

Cawarden are due to be on site within days and work is expected to last 12 weeks.

A statement from the District Council says the structure is 'failing' but that much of the building's material will be recycled during the process.

The demolition comes despite more pleas from local groups who still believed the building could be relaunched for community use.

But the building will finally come down over the next three months.

The council has produced a breakdown of facts surrounding the planned demolition.

• The former Hermitage Leisure Centre was decommissioned and made safe in February 2022
• Demolition will take around 12 weeks
• Contractors will carefully strip the building of materials
• Between 85 per cent and 98 per cent of the building materials will be recycled
• As a result of the amount of materials expected to be recycled, the cost to demolish will be significantly less than the £300,000 originally budgeted.

The council adds that nearby residents will be informed of any impacts the project may have on access, but contractors say they will ensure any disruption is kept to a minimum

It adds the area will be filled, levelled and secured.

But the statement also says: "NWLDC is keen to invest in recreational facilities on the wider Hermitage Recreation Ground area, including cycle paths, footpaths, a fishing lake, football pitches and a model railway."

Councillor Richard Blunt, the council leader, said: "With the decision made to demolish the former leisure centre, it's important to get this work done as quickly as possible, to prevent the empty building becoming a target for anti-social behaviour and crime.

"We have aspirations to invest in the Hermitage Recreation Ground and are working up plans to improve the community facilities in the area."