COUNCIL bosses have confirmed they have derelict sites in Dudley and Lye in mind for proposed new leisure centres which could replace the borough's three existing facilities under new plans.

Dudley Council announced last month that plans were being drawn up to close the borough's ageing leisure centres in Stourbridge, Dudley and Halesowen and build two brand new facilities to replace them.

Rumours had been rife that a site in Lye was favoured for a new facility to replace Stourbridge's Crystal Leisure Centre and Halesowen Leisure Centre, as it falls between the two existing centres, and council chiefs have now confirmed they have a large piece of authority-owned land just off Lye Bypass, near The Butterfly Centre, which could potentially accommodate a new leisure centre with parking.

They also have their eye on Dudley's Flood Street car park as a potential site for a new facility to replace Dudley Leisure Centre.

Alan Lunt, Dudley's strategic director for place, said: "We own both of them - we wouldn't have to shell out for land."

The council wants to build two brand new leisure complexes with 24-hour gyms and 25-metre swimming pools to replace the outdated existing centres which they say are in desperate need of repair and which struggle to compete with modern, private facilities.

A report to the council's cabinet states the authority has to subside the three facilities to the tune of £1.9million each year to keep them afloat.

The most expensive to maintain is the 26-year-old Crystal Leisure Centre, which required a subsidy of £977,000 for 2015/16.

Dudley Leisure Centre, which is 38-years-old, has cost the council £523,000 in subsidy during the last year; while Halesowen Leisure Centre, which was also built more than 50 years ago, needed an annual subsidised of £246,000 to plug the operating deficit.

All three facilities, which would be retained until new facilities are built, also require substantial improvement works. 

Half a million pounds is needed for a new roof at Dudley, a £500,000 new air handling unit is needed at Halesowen and the Crystal Leisure Centre needs a new boiler - likely to cost around £50,000 - and the passenger lift regularly breaks down.

And Mr Lunt told the News: "It would cost the best part of £20million to refurbish them to give an extra 30 years of life."

Council bosses have stressed the plans are very much in their early stages and they will go to public consultation.

Councillor Khurshid Ahmed, Dudley's cabinet member for leisure, added that he and Councillor Pete Lowe, leader of the authority, were responding to queries raised by concerned leisure centre users and groups and he added: "We're already working with swimming clubs and we're addressing the concerns.

"We have got two options - bury our heads in the sand or start looking ahead for the future and make sure the communities have better facilities. We want to make sure these leisure centres are there for years to come - if we leave the ones that are there the bill for maintenance keeps going up."

The plan will be on the agenda at next week's cabinet meeting at Dudley Council House on Wednesday (December 14).