The plans – proposed Leighton-Linslade leisure centre consultation
Consultation closed: Friday, 22 July 2022
Consultation opened: Thursday, 28 April 2022
We want to provide facilities that residents want, but which also offer value for money. We have designed the scheme by combining the recommendations of our Leisure Facilities Strategy, alongside the sports facilities that will continue to be available at Cedars Upper School, via a Community Use Agreement. This means the existing sports hall and squash courts will remain open for use with facilities managed directly by the school.
Location
The proposed site for the new centre is to the north of Clipstone Brook, served by Briggington Way, east of Leighton Buzzard.
This plan shows the indicative area where the leisure centre will be located – it will be located on a small portion of this site adjacent to the outdoor pitches. Plans for the leisure centre have been designed to ensure that it will not impact on any potential future education provision on the wider site.
Site layout
The proposals include car parking and connections to cycleways and footpaths provided within the Clipstone Park development.
Design
The state-of-the-art leisure centre is set over two floors.
It will include:
- an eight-lane 25-metre community swimming pool, complete with 100 spectator seats
- a 17-metre by 10-metre learner pool with a movable floor to raise or lower the depth for swimming lessons and other activities
- a separate, shallow pool, called ‘confidence water’
- changing village (area including individual and family changing cubicles)
- 2 squash courts
- a large 150-station fitness suite (gym)
- 2 multi-use studios for a range of fitness classes and activities
- a dedicated group cycle studio
- flexible community space
- a spacious reception and foyer area creating a vibrant social hub
- 2 Changing Places accessible changing rooms
- 2 options for accessing the pool – a Pool Pod access system and Oxford Dipper hoist to provide safe and reliable access into the main pool and learner pool
- additional changing facilities for people using the adjacent outdoor pitches
- contrasting colours throughout to help visually impaired visitors
- a dedicated creche
- a large café
- landscaping and planting
- access to walking and cycling routes, planned as part of the Clipstone Park development; linking to the new and existing communities and nearby informal open space
- car parking, cycle parking, electric vehicle charging points, drop-off areas and good access to buses and public transport
- extensive lighting and CCTV to help make the site safe and secure
All of the plans will meet the latest industry standards and Sport England guidelines.