The redevelopment of Cheltenham’s leisure centre is gathering pace as the project enters detailed design paving the way for building work to begin this autumn, as part of an ambitious plan to develop a Sport and Play Hub for the town.

The Cheltenham Trust, which manages and develops Leisure at Cheltenham on behalf of Cheltenham Borough Council, has appointed development partner Alliance Leisure to conduct the detailed design work under the new UK Leisure Framework as part of a five year strategy that will encourage greater participation across all Trust venues by local people, promoting and attracting visitors to the town.

This phase 1 development aims to meet the growing and changing demands on the facilities at Leisure at Cheltenham. It will enable more people to get active, provide more opportunities for families and young people and those enjoying and working on their health and fitness.

The proposals include extending the gym to expand the health and fitness offer increasing the centre’s capacity to meet the needs of health-related activities, such as GP referral and physiotherapy programmes.

Two of the centre’s five squash courts will be converted into two new studios, while the sports changing area will be upgraded with the inclusion of new sauna and steam room facilities. The project also includes the conversion of the existing health suite into an aquatics play space, developing and extending the aquatics opportunities for families with young children and allowing the commercial hire of the space for children’s parties.

The project is being funded by a loan of up to £1.5m from Cheltenham Borough Council.

The improvements will ensure Leisure at Cheltenham continues to meet customer expectations in a highly competitive local market. Aside from an upgrade in gym equipment in 2013, there has been no significant investment in the centre since it re-opened in 2008 following severe flood damage.

Peter Harkness, Chair of The Cheltenham Trust said: “Cheltenham is already recognised regionally and nationally for its culture and leisure offering, and we want to continue to build on this, creating a unique place that contributes to the social, cultural and economic value of the town and enriching the lives of residents and visitors. The Sport and Play Hub at Leisure at Cheltenham is an important first step in realising this.”

Julie Finch CEO for The Cheltenham Trust commented: “We know that this project is just the start of the development of what will be an absolute game changer as the Sport and Play Hub develops and the Trust creates a regional destination which will be open not only to the people of Cheltenham but people far and wide.”

“Alliance delivers projects throughout the UK, but as a south west-based company we are excited to be working with such a forward-thinking trust and local authority in improve a centre in our home region and will be looking to engage local suppliers and trades as much as possible. Our MD Paul Cluett ran Cheltenham’s leisure facilities some 20 years ago, and so is particularly looking forward to delivering these great enhancements,” says Julia Goddard, Business Development Manager at Alliance Leisure.

The UK Leisure Framework launched in February to make it easier and more cost-effective for public sector leisure providers to scope, develop and deliver physical leisure developments as well as cultural and marketing related services.

Since it took over the running of Leisure at Cheltenham, Cheltenham Town Hall, Pittville Pump Room, Prince of Wales Stadium and The Wilson Art Gallery and Museum, The Cheltenham Trust has focused on improving the quality of customer and audience experience through a number of investment programmes, resulting in significant annual savings to Cheltenham Borough Council of £1.025m on revenue expenditure over a five year period delivered through efficiencies and income growth.

Aura Leisure and Libraries Limited, in partnership with Flintshire County Council, has announced plans to redevelop and extend the fitness and leisure facilities at Mold Leisure Centre, Mold, North Wales.

Located in the grounds of Mold Alun School and Ysgol Maes Garmon School, Mold Leisure Centre is a dual-purpose site, serving pupils during school hours and the local community outside of these times.

In December 2017, the Council entered into a contract to invest £1.4 million to double the size of the current fitness facility and create a bespoke group exercise studio. The investment will be used to enhance the current leisure provision and create a sustainable physical activity offering for the future.

Works will begin this month (February 2018). On the ground floor, two largely unused squash courts will be transformed into a vibrant fitness space, adding 270sqm to the existing gym floor. In addition to the creation of a 43-station, Technogym work out area and a new, private consultation room, an Origin functional modular rig with various ancillary functional equipment, will create extensive functional training opportunities.

A mezzanine floor will be constructed above the new fitness space to house a dedicated exercise studio. This will enable a significant expansion of the Centre’s group exercise programme, helping to engage a much wider segment of the community. Improvements to the active spaces will be complemented by a refurbishment of both the male and female changing areas.
Having conducted detailed design and cost certainty assessments in August 2017, Alliance Leisure submitted a full developmet proposal in October 2017, following feasibility work undertaken by FMG Consulting. Subsequently, Alliance was appointed Leading Development Partner by Aura, a charitable, not-for-profit, employee-owned organisation responsible for managing the majority of Flintshire leisure centres and libraries.

Julia Goddard, Senior Business Development Manager at Alliance Leisure, says: “Mold Leisure Centre plays a vital role in creating safe, affordable access to leisure facilities and services. The expansion of the fitness offering, made possible by this investment, will widen appeal to new segments of the community, encouraging more people to incorporate regular physical activity into their daily lives.”

Flintshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Education and Youth, Councillor Ian Roberts, says:
“I am delighted to see these improvements which I am sure will prove popular with local pupils and residents. It’s great to see this continued investment in the county’s sports and leisure facilities.”

Also commenting on the investment, Christine Edwards, Board Chair for Aura, says: “We are delighted with the investment into Mold Leisure Centre, in partnership with Flintshire County Council, as we continue on our journey as a new employee-owned, not-for-profit organisation.
“This development will contribute to Aura’s purpose ‘to benefit the community by improving quality of life through the provision of culture and leisure opportunities that improve mental health and physical well-being.’ We want to increase affordable ways to keep active by growing our services in Mold so they are sustainable for the future and work closely with all our community members from an early age.”

Tom Williams, Mold Leisure Centre Manager concludes: “The team at Mold Leisure Centre is immensely excited about the upcoming development. This will enable us to expand on the services we currently provide to the community and continue to cater for customers of all ages. The addition of a second first floor studio and the expansion of the fitness suite will support the delivery of new activities for both the community and the two adjoining high schools.”