New £15 million Spen Valley Leisure Centre plans revealed
Residents are being asked to share their views on the exciting plans for Spen Valley’s new £15 million leisure centre.
What facilities will there be?
The new two-storey leisure centre with swimming and fitness facilities, is set to be built on the existing Spenborough Pool site after the plans were approved by Kirklees Council’s Cabinet in August, 2018.
The plans include an eight-lane 25m pool, a five-lane 20m activity pool, a fitness suite, as well as exercise and cycling studios.
How have we been listening to residents?
Over the past few months, we alongside with Kirklees Active Leisure have been working with community groups and others who will use the centre, to make sure their feedback helps shape the plans.
It’s now over to the public, with a number of drop-in sessions organised to give residents the opportunity to view and comment on the plans. Staff will also be on hand to answer any questions residents may have.
Cllr Shabir Pandor, Leader of Kirklees Council said:
“It’s great to see the plans for this fantastic new centre. They really bring it to life. Whilst we have already consulted with a number of interested parties, the public engagement sessions are a great opportunity for local residents to look and feedback with their comments.
The plans show an excellent community facility which will promote healthier lifestyles and complement the growth of the area in the years to come. As a council we’re committed to investing in our communities, both financially and in the wellbeing of the residents.
We’d like to encourage everyone to come along to one of the many engagement events we’ve arranged to learn more about these fantastic plans and share your thoughts with us.”
When are the sessions?
The sessions will run between 18 March – 1 April. Following this, planning permission for the building will be sought.
The engagement sessions will take place as follows with staff being on hand to answer any questions residents may have at specific times throughout these sessions:
Spenborough Pool 18 – 20 March
– Monday 18 March 4.30 – 6.30pm
– Tuesday 19 March 4.30 – 6.30pm
– Wednesday 20 March 10 – 12pm
Heckmondwike Library 21 – 25 March
– Thursday 21t March 3 – 5pm
– Monday 25 March 10 – 12pm
Cleckheaton Library 26 – 28 March
– Tuesday 26 March 10 – 12pm
– Thursday 28 March 3 – 5pm
Mirfield Library 30 March – 1 April
– Saturday 30 March 10 – 12pm
– Monday 1 April 1 – 3pm
I was wondering if one of these new pools will have a ramp for disabled and old people to be able to walk into the pool? Rather than having to use steps/ladder, which some of us find impossible.
If it was Huddersfield there would be no expense spared, 50 mts pool,Saunas etc.
2 years is a joke.
Pathetic & typical. All the money saved for Huddersfield yet again.
Looking forward to a bigger and better equipped gym and larger exercise studios to cope with the demand for classes. It would be nice not to have to stay up until midnight to get a place on classes specifically current Wednesday morning classes. Is there going to be a raised safe area at the front of the exercise studios so that everyone can see the class instructor wherever they are in the room?
How can the site not be large e3for a 50m pool, you are demolishing both the current pool which is 33m and the current fitness centre which is situated at least 30m from the current building! By joining the current wasted space inbetween you could more than fit a 50m pool in. Or why not just replace with one that is the same size, if you are not going to be using it for national accredited galas, it does not matter if it is not the standard length, and as there are already numerous 25m pools in the area this shouldn’t be an issue for swimming clubs.
Thank you for your comments.
With the design of the new centre, we have had to consider several factors including budget, site footprint, our local priorities and other local provision in and around North Kirklees. As a result, the new Leisure Centre will not include a sports hall, squash or tennis courts or sauna. However, these types of facilities can be accessed in or around North Kirklees at Dewsbury Sports Centre, Batley Baths & Recreation Centre, Batley Sports & Tennis Centre and Whitcliffe Mount School site. A new leisure centre is also due to open at Sedbergh, Bradford.
All modern public swimming pools, suitable for length swimming, built in the UK for a number of years have been either 25m in length or 50m in length. The site is not large enough to accommodate a 50m pool. The new 25m pool has 8 lanes as opposed to the previous 6 lanes, while the smaller, activity pool, is 20m x 10m. Therefore the overall water space is considerable. The activity pool will also have a movable floor to allow for a wide range of activities.
The pool programme will look to provide opportunities for a wide range of groups. Activity sessions will include length swimming whilst also allowing competitive club swimming to take place. The programming for the new swimming pools will be developed closer to the opening dates of the new site.
The new centre will include an increased sized fitness suite (600m2), 2 x exercise studios (with the larger studio able to divide into 2 x smaller studios) and a dedicated cycle (spin) studio.
If you would like to see the plans and chat with a member staff please attend one of our engagement sessions.
I agree that the building desperately needs replacing. I would have preferred a longer pool – why not think big and go for 50m? There is enough unused space behind the planned building to fit it in. It’s very disappointing that the amenity will be removed for two years. I would understand one year, but two seems excessive. I would like to understand the specific actions planned to minimise impact on the users for such a long period, not just platitudes like “work together in a creative way”.
Is there any possibility of it being a 50m Olympic size pool with the ability to convert into two 25m pool? If KAL / Kirklees Council are looking to make money for the leisure centre this is the way to go.
I am hoping there will be ample car parking as I live in close proximity to the centre and we can not even park in front of our own property when there events on Surely they will look at membership and the increased amount of footfall
Why are there no squash courts ? And there should be a cafe
The current pool is 33m long not 33 yard! See KAL website. Therefore it will be 8m shorter which is or over 26 feet! This makes a lot of difference if you are competitive swimmer as the extra effort to keep turning slows you down.
There seems to be some confusion about length of the large pool. The present Spenborough Pool is just over 33 yards long. The new pool will be 25 metres long which is a standard measurement for pools today. This means that it will only be five metres shorter or about 6 yards shorter than the present pool. There will be more lanes – 8 instead of 6 thus creating more waterspace.
Please everybody who is commenting here go to one of the public consultations! I plan on doing! I also wish for a 33m pool!
What about putting in a couple of saunas, as previously. Well known for health benefits and difficult to find now.
I hope the studios will have some mirrors. They will be very helpful for pilates, yoga and tai chi classes.
Will there be any tennis courts to make-up for those lost at Batley Also how about a sprung dance floor? Dance and Zumba are popular but a hard floor is not good to be dancing on longterm
Why such a short pool? Surely a 33 meter pool is possible?
Get the new site built – it can’t come quick enough. Plans look great. The staff at the current centre are great but they can’t do much with the old run down facilities that exist. We take our kids for weekly swimming lessons but the changing rooms are past it, spectator areas and other parts have had their day and the toilets are vile – but like I say, nothing the staff can do – the facilities have had their day.
Just make sure you don’t end up with what is essentially a private health club paid for to be built and subsidised by Council Tax Payers as has happened in Dover. We have a super duper new “Leisure Centre” but membership is was beyond many local people, and their website seems to be designed to make it as difficult as possible just to book a swim. So much pool time is dedicated to “private party” bookings, presumably maximising profits for the company running the place. In the old days, you used to be able to look up when swimming sessions were, their cost etc. and just turn up.
We seem to be now in the privatisation of all public amenities and we just sit and accept it all.
I for one can’t wait for the new centre to be built. I hope they put a bigger fitness studio so more people can attend the classes as at the moment spaces are limited.
Will there be a sports hall too for netball / 5 a side etc as spen valley is lacking in this facility since whitcliffe closed.
Sports hall would be great along with some squash courts a similar sized swimming pool and a cafe. Plenty of glass so outside light can get in. A decent sized gym and spin studio with a room for the pilates/fitness classes. If we can have decent spin bikes and don’t get a virtual cycling projector like at Dewsbury thats not compatible with the spin bikes. Good news though.
Is there going to be a steam room and sauna?
I hope the length swimming will have more times available like Dewsbury where you can go anytime in the afternoon, not everyone can make a lunchtime swim, plus it is far too busy and you can’t get moving, we need more available sessions to alleviate the crowding .
Why a reduced main pool length?
I am the coach of the Spen Valley Flyers Roller Hockey Club. The club was run very successfully from Whitcliffe Mount Sport Centre before it was unlawfully demolished. Due to this and a complete lack of help or assistance from Kirklees council our club has had to relocate out of Kirklees to a neighbouring authority. Our club numbers have dramatically fallen from almost 100 members to below 20 and we are struggling to survive. It is hoped that Kirklees council now truly engage with local clubs and allow them to return to Kirklees run facilities. It is also hoped that any new facilities will be designed correctly to facilitate the participation of sports that wish to use the facility and will also be designed to allow the storage of essential equipment and allow for spectators. The introduction of a 40 metre x 20 metre sports hall/space is essential. I would very much welcome a meeting with Kirklees council to discuss any proposed new facilities, so that the Spen Valley Flyers can return to Kirklees.
It’s looks great but, how about repairing the damage you did to the social lives of bowlers you evicted from Whitcliffe Mount without considering the damage you were doing to their/our community?
Social and community welfare are just simply overlooked for the perceived benefit of the developer’s buck.