Sheffield City Council has now released initial funding and approved new lease arrangements, allowing rebuilding work on Springs and Concord leisure centres to progress. The decision moves previously approved plans towards construction and is intended to modernise affordable sports facilities while both centres remain open.

The council has authorised £67,000 for initial work. Construction at Springs, due to be renamed for pioneering Black Premier League referee Uriah Rennie, is expected to start in October and last two years; Concord’s rebuild is scheduled to begin in summer 2027 and is planned as part of a more integrated indoor and outdoor sports hub.