The first hurdle in a planned major redevelopment of Lowestoft's main sports centre has been cleared after council bosses landed a �1m grant to improve its swimming pool.

The first hurdle in a planned major redevelopment of Lowestoft's main sports centre has been cleared after council bosses landed a �1m grant to improve its swimming pool.

There will now be an overhaul of the pool at the Water Lane sports centre, with a new junior pool and a complete refurbishment of the main swimming hall and changing rooms to take place.

A viewing gallery will also be built to allow spectators to watch competitions.

Stephen Ardley, Waveney District Council's cabinet member for health and well-being, said: 'This is absolutely fantastic news for Waveney and our communities, with considerable funding earmarked for a major redevelopment of the Water Lane swimming pool.

'A lot of hard work has gone in to securing this finance and the real beneficiaries will be the people of Waveney.'

The Sport England grant is another boost to swimming in Waveney after the district council joined in a scheme to provide free sessions for under-16s and over-60s at its pools in Lowestoft and Bungay for the next two years.

Andy Burnham, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, said: 'Over the last three years, more swimming pools have opened than closed. So the pools are there; we now need to make sure that they are world class facilities and that people use them.'

Landing the swimming pool grant was regarded as a vital first step in the wider �6m refurbishment of the sports centre, which will see it increase in size and have a second floor added.

The council will now seek funding from other agencies to help upgrade the Water Lane centre's sports hall, and introduce new gym and spa facilities, along with a dance studio

A new caf� and meeting rooms will aim to encourage wider use of the centre, although there has been some controversy after initial plans suggested the squash courts could be axed to make way for a cr�che. Council bosses are currently in negotiation with squash players to try to find a resolution.

The redevelopment of the sports centre has been made more viable by the planned opening of a new sixth form centre at the Lowestoft College campus nearby.

Work at the centre is planned to start in the autumn and is expected to take between a year and 18 months to complete. It will take place in stages to allow the centre to remain open.