The new £5.8m dual-use pool and fitness suite at Weald Recreation Centre in Billingshurst, West Sussex, is set to open 20 September.

The project is part of a strategy to increase the number of swimming pools in Horsham to three. The Billingshurst pool will join Horsham's Pavilions in the Park swimming and leisure complex and Steyning Leisure Centre.

To accommodate the new pool, Weald Recreation Centre – owned by Horsham District Council and operated by DC Leisure – has been extended to create Billingshurst Leisure Centre. The work has been carried out by construction firm Willmott Dixon and designed by S&P Architects.

The extension will feature the 25m four-lane pool, with easy access steps and a moveable floor over one third of the pool area, changing and shower facilities, and a spectator area. The existing fitness suite has been extended to incorporate a 50-station gym with facilities for people with disabilities, new changing rooms and a four-court sports hall have also been added.

The pool and fitness suite will be open and staffed year-round, seven days each week, while the sports hall, school gymnasium and new flood-lit artificial pitch will be available to the public weekday evenings during the school term and all day at weekends and during school holidays.

Public swimming lessons will be available at the pool, which will also be used by schools.

A large proportion of the funding for the project has been made up of housing developer contributions from new homes built in Billingshurst. The project also received a £680,000 grant from the National Lottery’s Sport England Community Investment Fund.

The project is a partnership between Horsham District Council, Billingshurst Parish Council, The Weald School, West Sussex County Council and Sport England.