A petition has been launched over fears that Lampeter leisure centre will lose key facilities as part of Ceredigion council plans to turn it into the county’s first ‘wellbeing centre.’

The council has announced a “significant investment” into the site for the project, but residents fear that the “imminent” plans will see the sports hall “down-graded” amid a reduction in size to accommodate the new features.

The petition on change.org says: “There are imminent plans to downgrade the current sports courts at Lampeter Leisure Centre.

“As part of the creation of a Well Being Hub in Lampeter, Ceredigion council proposes the reduction in size of the sports hall by a quarter which means that the leisure centre will no longer have a full size indoor netball court, basketball court, five-a-side football pitch, or volleyball court and will mean a reduction in the number of badminton courts.

“Although we support the addition of the facilities the Well Being Hub will provide for the Lampeter community, taking away what is already a well used amenity will jeopardise the future and well being of the participants of established local clubs and teams and prevent the forming of others in the future.”

A Ceredigion council spokesperson said: “At a cabinet meeting held on 1 December 2020, it was agreed that Lampeter Leisure Centre would become the location of the council’s first Wellbeing Centre in the county.

“A significant amount of work and investment is to be made at the leisure centre which will improve the facility and the resources for years to come.

“Over the coming months, as we see the plans and proposals for Wellbeing Centre develop, they will be shared with service users and the residents of Ceredigion.

“Architects have been appointed to oversee the project and work will now begin on the proposed layout for the facility.

“The layout will be a reconfiguration of the existing facility in order to provide a Wellbeing Centre that can provide an enhanced range of Through Age Services, including Leisure Services to the residents of Lampeter and the mid of the county.”

Cllr Catherine Hughes, Ceredigion County Council Cabinet Member, said: “We are looking forward to the development of the new Wellbeing Centre at Lampeter.

“This will provide a range of services to residents within their local community.

“This development comes at a welcome time, as Ceredigion Public Service Board is carrying out an ‘Assessment of Local Wellbeing’, in order to find out about the wellbeing of local people and communities, now and in the future.”

The council said that Lampeter Leisure Centre will be closed during the building works, “but during this period alternative provision will be made available for all service users and clubs.”

The petition, which has attracted hundreds of signatures, can be found at www.change.org/p/ceredigion-county-council-llewod-llambed-says-save-our-sports-hall