MONEY paid by developers building homes in and around Exeter could be used to fund a £6 million refurbishment of a run-down leisure centre in the city’s most deprived area.

Sport England is also prepared to chip in with a third of the cost of creating a new “hub” for Wonford, which has some of the poorest health figures in the city and lowest levels of physical activity.

Planning permission was given for the project on the site of the Wonford Leisure Centre last year, and now city councillors are likely to rubber-stamp the funding package to allow the revamp to go ahead.

Members of the city council’s planning committee backed the revamp unanimously at a meeting in 2025. The new centre off Burnthouse Lane will be a refurbishment of the existing Wonford Sports Centre and Community and Learning Centre, which has been hit by crime and anti-social behaviour.

It will include the demolition of the existing gym, Phoenix Centre and outdoor changing rooms and construction of a new hub and football changing facilities.

The new hub will also accommodate a cafe, changing facilities, studio and gym.

At the time when councillors voted to give planning permission, there was no funding in place to carry out the work, but an upcoming meeting of the full council will get the chance to vote on a costing plan.

If approved, nearly £3 million of the cost will come from the city’s community infrastructure levy, which is paid by developers for facilities to support the homes they are building. In addition, just over £1 million will come from Section 106 payments handed over by developers for essential improvements in the local area.

As an added benefit to the council, the new centre will cut the amount of money the local authority currently spends on maintaining the existing building.