Planning permission granted for Fakenham Sports and Fitness Centre

Date published: 29th May 2025

Today at Development Committee, Councillors voted for planning permission for the proposed extension and improvement of Fakenham Sports and Fitness Centre.

The Council submitted a Levelling Up bid in 2022 for improvements to Fakenham Leisure Centre, including a 25 metre swimming pool, outdoor sports facilities and a 3G all-weather artificial grass pitch. 

The current facilities, owned by the District Council and operated by award-winning leisure partners Everyone Active, currently comprises of a sports hall, fitness suite, multi-use area, dance studio, changing rooms and reception area. 

The 3G pitch will be submitted under a different planning application, so that progress on the leisure centre and swimming pool can be made.

The Pavilion will be demolished later this year to make way for construction of the new facilities, which is expected to begin before the end of 2025. 

Cllr. Tim Adams, Leader of North Norfolk District Council said:

‘this is a significant milestone towards the provision of modern swimming and leisure facilities in the growing Town of Fakenham, and we continue to be grateful for the support of the community and Fakenham Town Council that has got us this far. Subject to the approval of the planning application, we look forward to beginning this development later in the year’

Stuart Jardine, Everyone Active’s area contract manager, said:

“This is fantastic news for the health and wellbeing of the local community. At Fakenham Sports and Fitness Centre, we are proud to support people of all ages, interests and abilities to get active and the proposed development of the site, with a state-of-the-art swimming pool at its heart, would enable us to do that even better.”

The bid for Levelling Up Fund monies was submitted by North Norfolk District Council with support from Fakenham Town Council, MPs for the Broadland and North Norfolk constituencies, and there has been public support for a larger leisure offering in the town, with local consultation yielding over 1000 responses.

Many residents have campaigned for a new pool facility for Fakenham, following the closure of the Fakenham Academy pool in 2014.