Council leaders are hoping to secure government funding to replace Stoke-on-Trent's largest leisure centre.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council first announced plans to replace the 'outdated' Fenton Manor Sports Complex – potentially with a new city centre facility – in 2024.

The proposal has now been included in the council's new indoor sports facilities strategy, which looks at how provision across the city can be maintained and improved over the next two decades.

Cabinet members approved the new strategy at their meeting on Tuesday.

According to the strategy, Fenton Manor 'is operating beyond its projected lifespan', and its swimming pools are now at 'significant risk of failure'.

The document recommends the council commissions a feasibility study to establish the cost of replacing the centre, and explore options for delivering a facility as part of a major city centre regeneration scheme.

While the Etruscan Square project in Hanley has been allocated £20 million of Levelling Up funding, this is set to be spent on a residential development.

Council leader Jane Ashworth believes that other government programmes will be available for funding a replacement leisure centre.

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She said: "Fenton Manor is old. I like it – I could see why a lot of other people might find it a bit old and shabby. We will keep it going until we get a better facility and we're hoping there will be opportunities from central government funding resources to be able to secure investment for a replacement for Fenton Manor. It won't be exactly the same. We need to be alert to changes around funding regimes."

The strategy recommends that whether the new leisure is built in Hanley or at Fenton Manor's existing location, it should include a modern eight-lane, 25 metre swimming pool and teaching pool; a 12 to 16 court sports hall; a gym with up to 200 stations; and three to four multi-use studios.

But it suggests that Fenton Manor's existing squash court may not need to be replaced, due to supply of courts elsewhere and the 'reportedly limited demand'.

The strategy also says that better use could be made of community centres and extra care facilities for delivering indoor physical activity programmes.

Cllr Ashworth added: "It's vital that we create great offers of a safe, friendly place to be active round the corner from your house.

"We know that particularly when you're eight years old, the chances of being able to make your own way to one of our big leisure centres, unless you live round the corner, is a non-starter. So community centres or extra care venues are utterly critical to giving young people the opportunity to be active.

"I think it is likely we'll be able to talk to external funding bodies to bring in the resources to bring these community facilities up to a reasonable standard."

Other issues covered by the strategy include the current lack of indoor tennis or bowls provision in Stoke-on-Trent. It suggests that there could be low-cost solutions to this, such as installing canopies over the existing tennis courts at Hanley Park.

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The strategy also notes that while all Stoke-on-Trent residents live within a 20-minute drive of a swimming pool, only 42.7 per cent of the population lives within one mile a pool that is 160 square metres or larger.

According to Sport England's sports facility calculator, Stoke-on-Trent may need 3.42 lanes/0.86 pools by 2043. The strategy says this should be 'monitored closely' and reviewed alongside any options for replacing Fenton Manor.

Councillor Majid Khan, cabinet member for health integration and wellbeing, said: "This strategy is necessary to transforming the city's leisure services going forward.

"It is important that facilities are catered to residents and serve their needs, as exercise and moving your body is essential for your physical and mental health. We're working with partners across the city to ensure that Stoke-on-Trent's leisure facilities will be fit for purpose for years to come."