Residents Face Further Wait as Flagship Hartlepool Highlight Leisure Centre Opening Is Delayed Again...
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
Another False Start for Hartlepool’s £35m Highlight Leisure Centre After Being Hit by Yet Another Delay.
5th June 2026
The opening of a long-awaited Multi Million Pound Teesside leisure centre has been pushed back again, with the council confirming that the doors will now open to the public on Monday 22nd June...
The new £35 million Active Wellbeing Hub, Known as the Highlight Leisure Centre built on Hartlepool’s Waterfront, had most recently been due to welcome its first customers on Wednesday, June 10th.
However, Hartlepool Borough Council today announced a further 12-day delay after a small number of final works took longer than originally anticipated.
In a statement published on social media, the council said its Active Hartlepool team had previously been working towards a June 10th opening date after receiving the keys to the building from the main construction contractor.
“A small number of final works have taken slightly longer than anticipated.”
Active Hartlepool
The latest delay will inevitably disappoint residents who'd been preparing to use the new facility, particularly after the closure of the ageing Mill House Leisure Centre at the end of April, It's also the latest change to the timetable for the flagship development.
When construction work began, the new leisure centre had initially been expected to open during the autumn of 2025. This later shifted to early 2026 before the council formally announced that Highlight would open on June 10th this year, with residents will now having to wait until June 22nd before they can make full use of the new facility.
Highlight is one of Hartlepool Borough Council’s most significant regeneration projects and is intended to replace Mill House Leisure Centre, which served the town for more than five decades after first opening in 1972.
The new hub includes an eight-lane 25-metre swimming pool, a four-lane learner pool with a movable floor, a leisure pool with water-play features, a gym, fitness studios, soft-play facilities and space for additional wellbeing services.
The council said the additional time would allow staff to ensure that the building is fully operational, thoroughly tested and running smoothly from its first day.
Residents who have already signed up for memberships should have received further correspondence explaining the changes. Anyone who has not received an update has been advised to contact the Active Hartlepool team by emailing active.hartlepool@hartlepool.gov.uk.
