A LEISURE centre in north Durham is being renovated to make way for a library and council offices which have been earmarked for closure.

Durham County Council has revealed plans to shut Stanley Library and the offices on Front Street.

Work to modify The Louisa Centre at the top of Front Street is getting underway on Monday and is expected to take a year.

The council’s ‘customer access point’ and the new library will replace the current gym weights room and squash courts on the second level of the centre.

Squash players have been advised to use new facilities in Consett in summer when they are closed.

The council has said the relocation will make it easier for people to access services while also reducing running costs as the services will all be housed in one place.

Councillor Neil Foster, cabinet member for economic regeneration and culture, said: “We’re really pleased that work to relocate the Customer Access Point and library to the Louisa Centre is about to start.

“This is good news for residents as it will make it easier for them to access various services all under one roof.

“We would like to thank visitors there for their patience in advance while this work is carried out and we will be doing all we can to keep disruption to a minimum.”

The work will see improvements to leisure facilities at the Louisa Centre, which include relocating the Little Lagoon soft play area, New Horizons Suite and health and wellbeing services, and creating a new aerobics studio and a gym and weights room.

Karen Wheatley, facilities manager for The Louisa Centre, said: "Leisureworks will work in partnership with Durham County Council throughout the Louisa Centre refurbishment, to ensure that any disruption to leisure services is kept to a minimum.

"The phased stages of the refurbishment will enable the majority of services to run as normal or be temporarily relocated to other areas of the centre whilst work is underway."

The council has said all services currently provided at the Customer Access Point and library will be accessible at the new centre.

The current council offices and library building will be offered for use to other departments and community organisations and sold on the open market if no use is found.

North Durham MP Kevan Jones said: “The important thing is that services in Stanley are maintained, but I would like to see a wider development for the wider area in the town created as a matter of urgency.”