The multi-million-pound revamp of a town’s leisure centre has begun.

Work to upgrade the Sheppey Leisure Complex and Healthy Living Centre in Sheerness on the Isle of Sheppey began on Friday (May 23) with a swing of a sledgehammer.

The £14 million scheme is the flagship part of the £20 million Sheerness Revival regeneration project, which has been years in the making.

It aims to improve health, education, leisure and employment opportunities on Sheppey.

Included in the new offerings is a play area, a Tag active obstacle course and a Sheppey-themed adventure golf course, all at Beachfields.

The surrounding outside spaces will become a multi-use games area and an outdoor gym, while the existing tennis court and paddling pool area are being refurbished.

There will also be new toilets and a café hatch.

The project, led by Swale council, includes the construction of a new extension to the complex.

The existing surgery will be moved to the ground floor, with a new accessible toilet and additional consultation room installed to increase the capacity and accessibility of the healthcare facility.

Sheppey Matters, an award-winning health and wellbeing charity based in the Healthy Living Centre, will have a purpose-built space to help it continue providing its services.

There will also be a new, specially ventilated and sterile treatment room allowing GPs to perform minor surgeries, such as biopsies, without needing to refer patients elsewhere.

The existing gym facilities are being expanded and refurbished, and a new café area is also being put in.

Funding for the project has come from the government and was awarded to the town in January 2023.

The money is also going towards work on a £5.4 million expansion of East Kent College Sheppey, which started in February.

The former council offices at Masters House in Trinity Road are also being refurbished, with new workshop spaces being created there.

Cllr Monique Bonney, chairperson of Swale council’s economy and property committee, was joined at the ceremony by council leader Cllr Tim Gibson, deputy leader Cllr Ashley Wise, Mayor of Swale Cllr Karen Watson and Sheppey councillors Angela Harrison, Hayden Brawn and Elliott Jayes.

Sittingbourne and Sheppey MP Kevin McKenna was also there.

Cllr Bonney, who represents West Downs, said she was “excited” to see work getting underway, after an “incredible amount of work” behind the scenes.

She said: “We look forward to seeing the construction work kick off so this project can start benefiting the people of Sheerness and the Isle of Sheppey with new health facilities, the free outdoor gym, and so much more.

“There’s already good progress with the Sheppey College expansion. The metal frame has gone up and it’s helping people see how Sheerness Revival will have a positive, long-lasting impact in Sheerness.

“This project isn’t just about more leisure provision, we are trying to tackle several issues the Island faces – helping to boost education, health and employability alongside all of the fun things like Tag active and the adventure golf.”