A plan for members of the local community to buy a share in - and be owners of - a re-opned Hermitage Leisure Centre will be presented to North West Leicestershire District Council next week.

The Coalville CAN group has put together a scheme which would see the boarded up centre re-launched with a national parkour facility and community cafe included in the redevelopment.

CAN (Community and Neighbours) says that a share issue could raise at least £250,000, with grants raising a possible £1.75million and social finance, another £1million.

The suggestion for the future of the building and the surrounding site will be put to next Wednesday's (June 29) meeting of the district council's Community Scrutiny Committee.

Recommendations from that will go to the council's Cabinet meeting to be held on July 19.

The council estimates that it would cost £2.5million to renovate the building, which closed in February when the new £22,5million Whitwick & Coalville Leisure Centre opened to the public.

Since then, the Hermitage Centre has been boarded up and the council has recommended it be demolished as soon as possible as it is thought it would be unfit for purpose if improvements were not made.

Deana Wildgoose, of Coalville CAN, said: "All we're asking the council to do is to consider community ownership.

The Hermitage Leisure Centre before it was closed in February. Photo: Coalville Nub News

"It has worked in other places around the country and we think it can work here. We've set out how the money can be raised, and a share issue, where local people can buy a stake in the centre, is part of that."

Coalville CAN are keen to see the building kept for recreational use and have staged an exhibition at their Memorial Square offices this week.

But a number of local councillors are favouring using the site for the building of bungalows for retired people.

However, Coalville CAN believe a share issue would raise vital funds and one is already planned later this year for the group's Memorial Square offices.

Deana added: "If we look at community ownership for the Hermitage, it'd be working with partners and putting together a share offer, who wouldn't want to be part of that?

"I'd say £250,000 from that is a low estimate.

"Somebody might put £10 in, others might put up £10,000 - and they would be the owners of the building.

"Social finance would be an ethical bank loan, if it's needed.

"We're being backed by Daniel Timms, who is one of the most experienced parkour coaches in the world.

"He wants to build the National Parkour Centre at the Hermitage Centre.

"Daniel is one of the partners and this is what we'd like to do here."