THE vision for Okehampton's new sports centre in Simmons Park was unveiled last week.

The Okehampton Sports Centre project seeks to provide a new four-lane, 25-metre length swimming pool, a sports hall, fitness suite, dance studio, refreshment area and club room.

The project's estimated cost is £2.9-million, with the majority of the money hoped to be secured through a successful bid for Sport England Lottery cash totalling £2.25-million.

The lottery bid is already at Phase II, the principle of the project has been approved, and details of a fully-submitted funding bid will be examined in the next few months.

Sketches and outline illustrations of the sports centre were presented to borough councillors by architect Steve Rickhards of Burke Rickhards at a strategic development committee meeting last week.

Mr Rickhards told the meeting: 'I'm excited about it, I think it is going to be very good'.

He said the size of the pool meant it was not a full competition pool, but it would be a very good training pool.

The design aimed to blend in well with the parkland vista and make the building as attractive as possible to visitors.

The planned site for the building has been moved back 20 feet to comply with advice on flood plain regulations.

A proposed new position for the replacement of the tennis courts has also been identified.

Members agreed to visit St Ives to see a similar sports centre, recently completed by Burke Rickhards for Penwith District Council.

Cllr Jayne Hill said: 'Everybody is happy about it, this design is superb. The feeling is so positive. We are all looking forward to using it.'

Okehampton College has also been working closely with the project and are happy that better access to the leisure facilities will be made for pupils, avoiding any route running through the park.

In November, Okehampton Town Council agreed the ageing pavilion in Simmons Park will be demolished if the project proceeds, and have accepted the landscaping details in the new leisure centre plans.

The remaining cost of the project would be met by West Devon Borough Council's contribution of £140,000 as part of a local funding package of £630,000.

The money for the borough council's contribution to the project has been set aside for that purpose from the Waitrose receipt.