A multi-million pound community campus for the Pewsey area has been given planning permission and could be fully opened by autumn 2016.

The Vale Community Campus will be a split-site development housing a range of services including the recently built library.

It will be constructed on the sports centre in Wilcot Road and will connect to Pewsey Vale Academy School, sharing a number of facilities with it including a reception.

Construction is due to start in the summer and during this time the leisure centre will be closed, with staff and activities being relocated. The work should not have any impact on the school.

Representatives from the community formed a Community Operations Board to develop the plans for the campus with residents.

Board chairman Curly Haskell said: “It’s great news for the Pewsey Vale because it’s not just for Pewsey village and that’s why we’ve called it The Vale Community Campus. This is only the first link in the chain, there’s a lot of work to do but it’s great that we’re getting what we wanted.”

The campus will house a new fitness studio, squash court, sports hall, indoor wheeled sports area, café, meeting rooms and many other facilities which will be available for public use.

The swimming pool will be revamped, the gym will be made 50 per cent bigger and car parking will be increased.

Jonathon Seed, the Wiltshire Council cabinet member responsible for campuses, said: “This new campus will provide a wide range of services in one key location in Pewsey.

“The facilities which will be available at this campus in Pewsey reflect the wishes of the local community.”

The campus is part of a project that will see similar facilities developed across Wiltshire. For more details, visit www.pewsey.ourcommu nitymatters.org.uk