AN invitation to tender is to be issued this week as part of an exciting project to create a new activity and leisure facility in Millom and Haverigg.

Activating Community Health is one of four projects that make up the Millom Town Deal which secured £20.6m from the Government’s Town’s Fund last year alongside a further £8.7m in match funding.

The project will offer a swimming pool, sports hall and fitness studios within the setting of a community and leisure hub.

It aims to improve levels of community health and well-being by providing residents with a modern, multi-purpose and fully inclusive facility.

In addition, it would attract visitors to the town which will also support the long-term financial sustainability of this new leisure facility alongside increased footfall and a boost to overall levels of spending within local businesses.

David Savage, the Chair of Millom Town Deal Board, said: “I understand how important this project is to the community and I am pleased to offer this long-awaited update on progress as work continues behind the scenes to push it forward.

“This is an important milestone for the Reactivating Community Health Project and is a necessary part of the development of a building of this nature.

“Once this stage is completed, we will have everything we need to be able to make a submission to the planning authority.

“We need to be mindful that each of our four projects will evolve at a different pace, noting they have their own unique regulatory and approval processes that must be met.”

The invitation to tender is a formal process that will see a contractor appointed to complete technical, architectural drawings for the proposed building at Millom School.

This represents the next stage in the journey of the project, readying it for submission to the local planning authority.

Councillor Mark Fryer, the Leader of Cumberland Council, said: “This is one of a number of exciting schemes we are taking forward across the Cumberland area which have the potential to make a significant difference to people’s lives.

“I am pleased to see it progress to this very important stage.”

Planning permission is being sought for two further Millom Town Deal projects; The Iron Line – which will sensitively enhance the unique sea wall and coastal lagoon off the coast of Millom to form a fully inclusive route across RSPB Hodbarrow – and Reactivating Heritage Buildings, which will create a new arts and enterprise centre for the community.

An update on the remaining project, Connecting Millom and Haverigg, will be provided as soon as information becomes available.