EXCLUSIVE images of how a brand new gym could look have been shown to the Echo.

Castle Point Council has just started work costing £1million on the new facility next to Runnymede Swimming Pool, in Kiln Road, Benfleet.

Council leader Colin Riley said they had used the improvements at Waterside Pool, on Canvey, as a guide when looking to improve the new facility.

The council has a deficit of £500,000, but it hopes that this work will boost its coffers through people buying gym membership and greater use of the pool.

Mr Riley said: “We are very excited. We are delighted that this has come to fruition.

“At a time when other councils are closing sport facilities, we are opening this brand new facility.”

Members will be able to use both the new facility and the one at Runnymede.

As well as maintenance and repair work carried out at the swimming pool, a new building and staff car park will be built between it and Runnymede Hall which will feature more than 60 machines that will have touch screens providing access to Netflix, Facebook as well as virtual running routes.

The new gym will also feature one of the UK’s first bespoke HD athletic free weights rig for multi-use workouts, including lifts, monkey bars, bar hooks and more.

There will also be a spinning room with top-of-the-range bikes.

A screen in the large spinning room can also feature virtual routes than can be recorded and uploaded - for example a trip around Canvey.

In addition, there be a studio which will be used for group sessions, as well as private hire by various dance groups.

There will also be a new cafe and the existing toilets will be remodelled and refurbished to provide changing facilities.

The new centre is due to open in January.

The swimming pool will be closed between September 11 to October 23 when people will instead be able to use the Waterside Pool, on Canvey while work is completed.

Funding has partly come from the sale of Swans Green Hall, in Hart Road, Thundersley, which brought in £500,000.