PEOPLE in Pewsey have waited long enough for their new campus and it is time to start delivering, says the councillor behind the project.

John Thomson spoke at Pewsey’s Area Board meeting on Monday after being invited by Pewsey’s Campus Operations Board who have felt frustrated with the lack of communication about the new development, which was originally scheduled to open next year.

“I think you have all waited long enough – time to deliver,” he said. “That is what the Area Board and Ros is about. Pushing it forward and getting it built and getting people in there, making it available.”

It was also revealed instead of being a campus it will be a health and wellbeing centre called The Vale.

The word campus has been dropped after concerns people were not warming to it, according to Wiltshire Council community engagement manager Ros Griffiths.

She also told members at the meeting if they called it a health and wellbeing centre it would save money by reducing their exposure to business rates.

“There is now a greater emphasis on health and wellbeing,” she said. “A huge amount of work has been going on behind the scenes to put forward a proposal that is both a positive outcome for the community and also one which is affordable within the financial envelop that cabinet agreed in 2012.”

The new centre which is set to open in 2018 – two years later than originally planned – will include a new four lane 25m swimming pool, community café, wheeled sports area and a larger fitness suite amongst other facilities.

The reception area at the leisure centre, the site of the new building in Wilcot Road, will also be refurbished and there will be a multi-purpose activity space, as well as wet village change area. Additional investment has also been added.

There were concerns raised that one squash court was not enough. However, Ms Griffiths said statistics concluded only one court was needed.

Delays mean that Wiltshire Council are still creating the concept design. They will reach the planning stage next year, with construction starting next autumn.

The design team has been instructed to draw up a new build, single story scheme which will complement a community hub at the library.

“There is quite a lot of work to do,” Ms Griffiths added. “We plan to come back to the meeting in January with plans and drawings to help bring the scheme to life.”