Capital & Regional, the specialist retail property company, has secured permission to refurbish Leisure World, its 160,000 sq ft complex at Jarman Fields, Hemel Hempstead.

Dacorum Borough Council has approved Capital & Regional's plans which will see the leisure and entertainment complex extensively refurbished, reconfigured and rebranded. It will remain open during the refurbishment process.

The plans for the site have been designed to incorporate a new restaurant quarter which will seek to attract leading casual dining and family restaurant brands that a town of Hemel Hempstead's size and standing deserves. New family-orientated restaurants with external terraced seating areas will form part of a modernised frontage for the scheme and will sit alongside a new gym, new leisure facilities, an ice rink, 10 pin-bowling alley and multi-screen cinema.

Capital & Regional has already received strong initial interest from national chains interested in taking space in the complex and is looking forward to announcing new names over the coming months.

We believe now is the right time for Leisure World to be refurbished and rebranded, providing better choice and a brighter, revitalised complex clearly focused on family leisure time.

David James

David James, National Developments at Capital & Regional, commented: "The Council's decision to grant planning permission for Leisure World demonstrates its support for our designs to enhance Jarman Fields and further strengthen its offering. We have responded to both local demand and that of national brands that will be welcome additions to Jarman Fields. We believe now is the right time for Leisure World to be refurbished and rebranded, providing better choice and a brighter, revitalised complex clearly focused on family leisure time. We are looking forward to progressing our designs further and delivering our vision for this important community venue in due course."