WILTSHIRE Council staff are carrying out the final touches to the £20.1 million Melksham Community Campus before it opens its doors for the first time this morning (1 August).

The campus opens to the public at 10am following an official opening at 9.30am and can be found off the Market Place next to Melksham House in the centre of Melksham.

Cllr Ian Blair-Pilling, Wiltshire Council Cabinet Member for Leisure, Libraries and Public Health, said: “Our staff are in great spirits as they get the campus ready to welcome local residents.

“The building was handed over to us by our construction partners in an impeccable state and that’s made our job that much easier. Books are being put on library shelves, leisure equipment is being set-up and we’re nearly ready to open the doors to the community.

“Of course, with any new brand new building opening we may see the odd technical issue, but we thank people for any patience that may be required as our team gets used to their new surroundings.

“We’re looking forward to meeting everyone and welcoming new and existing members.”

The campus has been constructed by Pellikaan Construction Ltd with support from a Sport England grant. It will create 40 new jobs and Wiltshire Council is still recruiting for some positions.

It will offer a wide range of facilities and services under one roof, including a gym; cycle and fitness studios; a 25-metre swimming pool and learner pool. There is also a sports hall; new public library and meeting space for the community.

Melksham Without Parish Council is also relocating to the campus from its current offices at Bowerhill.

Melksham Library and Melksham Blue Pool have now closed to help staff prepare to move to the new site, with the library and leisure services then re-commencing from the campus today.

Anyone interested in starting a new leisure membership can find out more information and join online by clicking here.

Melksham Community Campus is a key milestone in the overall strategy for the town, which has seen significant investment by Wiltshire Council in recent years.

This includes the opening of Oakfields football and rugby facility in 2017, the development of Melksham Market Place in 2017, the provision of a new skate park in 2017, the development of a new cricket pavilion in 2017, and refurbishment of Melksham tennis courts in 2019.

For more information people should click here or follow the campus’ Facebook page.