A new Hartwell Architects-designed leisure facility has opened its doors to the public on the Spinney Lane sports ground site in Aylesham, near Canterbury, Kent.

Freedom Leisure will operate the new Aylesham Welfare Leisure Centre in partnership with the Aylesham and Snowdon Social Welfare Scheme.

Facilities at the WW Martin-built venue include a 26-station Life Fitness suite incorporating cardiovascular, resistance and free weights equipment, along with 10 outdoor grass sports pitches.

A floodlit multi-use games area and a floodlit 3G synthetic pitch were also created, while the construction of a sports hall will mark a second phase of work to be completed in 2012.

Funding partners included the Coalfield Regeneration Trust; Dover District Council; Rugby Football Union; Football Foundation: and the Big Lottery Fund.

A spokesperson for Freedom Leisure said: "The Aylesham Welfare Leisure Centre is a great example of how local sports clubs and the community can pool their resources to create an exciting sporting environment.

"It's about building up the community as much as building up the site and it stands to achieve its regeneration and sporting goals."

Image: Freedom Leisure area manager Steve Parker