BRECON Leisure Centre is to remain open during construction of a proposed new learning campus.

A planned new secondary school, further education college and replacement smaller leisure centre is being proposed by Coleg Powys and the NPTC Group college, who have submitted a joint bid for funding for the £75 million scheme to the Welsh Government.

It is intended to build the new facilities on the site of the existing Brecon Leisure Centre and an adjacent cricket pitch. Brecon High School's existing building and NPTC's Brecon Beacons campus are on the same site as the leisure centre.

A public consultation on the plans opened earlier this month and it was intended to close the leisure centre and bulldoze it from the start of the two year construction period, which could start as early as April 2015.

But following concerns from the public at the loss of leisure services over a long period the council has announced the centre will remain open.

A spokesman said: "Some concern has been expressed about the impact of the project on the existing centre.

"In response to the consultation the council has said the project will be designed to ensure that secondary school, further education and leisure services will be maintained during the development of the campus.

"The council is experienced in phasing major construction project to ensure that service delivery is maintained and is committed to maintaining leisure services in the town during construction of the learning campus site."

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