A new £5.34m leisure facility will be shared by residents in Crowle and pupils at Axholme Academy, after North Lincolnshire Council (NLC) green lighted the innovative plans.

The new Axholme North Sports Centre will be built on the Axholme Academy site on Wharf Road in Crowle, with access to the facilities to be split between the Academy and the community, a council spokesperson told Leisure Opportunities. Such dual-use leisure projects are becoming increasingly popular in the age of austerity, with similar innovative arrangements recently unveiled in Durham and West London.

To be operated by NLC staff, Axholme North Sports Centre will have a 25m (82ft) swimming pool, a gym, dance studio, tennis courts, floodlit artificial grass pitch and refurbished sports hall.

NLC has funded and designed the project – which follows the recent announcement of another NLC-led development at Brigg Recreation Ground – and is currently going through procurement for the gym equipment. It expects to open the new Axholme centre in Spring 2017.

“Overwhelming support has been received from local sports clubs and Axholme Academy for the Sports Centre, which shows it really is something the whole community wants,” said local councillor John Briggs.

“I am looking forward to seeing the plans coming into fruition and Isle of Axholme residents benefiting from this great multi-use sports centre.”