Sports hall, sustainability and access – proposed Leighton-Linslade leisure centre consultation
Consultation closed: Friday, 22 July 2022
Consultation opened: Thursday, 28 April 2022
Sports hall provision
The Community Use Agreement with Cedars Upper School will continue to provide residents with access to a sports hall and squash courts for indoor sports as well as a range of outdoor sports facilities. The current community use arrangements will remain in place, such as the school’s use of the hall for exam.
We have targeted the available investment on providing additional, high-quality facilities and not duplicate sports provision already available for community use. The new community and leisure centre will offer complementary facilities which create a package of modern sporting and fitness opportunities for residents. If we include a sports hall in the proposed leisure centre, it would use a considerable portion of the budget and would mean sacrificing other facilities. This proposal offers leisure and community facilities, without loss of provision in the town, to meet residents’ needs.
Sustainability
The building’s orientation and its considered design provide sustainability benefits. Large windows will offer plenty of natural light and solar gain energy.
Renewable technologies such as air source heat pumps and solar panels on the roof will add to its sustainability credentials and also help lower the running costs of the building.
The housing development is providing a bus drop-off point which is close to the proposed centre, on the main link road; in addition the development is also providing a network of cycle and pedestrian paths and the centre’s proposed location will benefit from these. Cycle parking and electric vehicle charging points will also be provided as part of the centre project.
Access and parking
Plans include approximately 230 car parking spaces with a number of spaces dedicated for electric vehicles and accessible parking bays located close to the main entrance. The site will also include motorcycle parking and cycle parking.
Drivers will be able to access the new leisure centre via an extension to the Eastern Link Road. The centre’s proposed location will benefit from access to new walking and cycling routes being created as part of the new Clipstone Park development. These will link the centre to Clipstone Brook Park informal open space, the new country park to the north of the site, Vandyke Road and into the existing communities of Leighton-Linslade.