The Bungay Pool and Gym have been granted a multi-million pound investment to transform the leisure centre, just weeks after it was closed due to safety concerns.

Approved by the Waveney District Council, the site will have £3.4m to create “an attractive, updated and modern leisure facility”.

The plans will include a new sauna, a changing area which includes individual cubicles with showers, an air-conditioned poolside viewing area and re-decoration.

The gym equipment will also be updated and improved disabled changing and shower facilities will be installed.

Work is set to begin in September and expected to take 10 months to complete for summer 2020. When the facility re-opens it will be renamed as the Waveney Valley Leisure Centre.

Councillor Graham Catchpole, cabinet member for operations and facilities said: “This is a really great day for the Waveney Valley. With the facility showing its age a little now, we have been quietly working on this project for two years now and I am delighted that we can finally make this announcement.

“As cabinet member with responsibility for Leisure Services I have been determined to get this pool up to standard and provide something we can all be proud of. Leisure activity for our children and all other ages is more important than ever. With so many other distractions we must encourage our children to be more physically active and providing modern, updated facilities for everyone at affordable prices is key to that.

“The facility is ideally situated at the centre of our rural area with easy access from our main market towns and I can’t wait to see the finished results later next year.

The Council’s operating partner, Sentinel Leisure Trust, will be contacting customers over the next few months regarding their memberships and details of closures.

Chairman of Sentinel Leisure Trust Andy Wilson Sutter, said: “This is great news for the clubs and customers of the centre and residents of Waveney. This investment will bring the centre up the modern quality of Waterlane Leisure Centre and provide a much enhanced and pleasant experience for our members and clubs”.