Stevenage’s new leisure centre will have a competition pool / FaulknerBrowns Architects
Work has started on a new £45 million (US$60.2 million) sports and leisure centre in Stevenage, which will bring the town’s existing wet and dry sports facilities together under one roof.
Everyone Active will operate the 6,330sq m complex on behalf of Stevenage Borough Council, replacing sports provision currently split between Stevenage Swimming Centre and Stevenage Arts & Leisure Centre. Construction is taking place while the existing swimming centre remains open and the new facility is scheduled for completion in 2028.
Designed by FaulknerBrowns Architects with structural engineers Scott White and Hookins, the development will include a 25-metre, 10-lane competition swimming pool with a floating floor and seating for 150 spectators, as well as a teaching pool and splash pad incorporating sensory zones.
Dry-side provision will be substantial, with a 250-station gym incorporating consultation rooms, a six-court multi-purpose sports hall, three fitness studios and a dedicated indoor cycling studio. A soft-play facility and café will broaden the offer beyond conventional sports and fitness provision.
The consultation rooms are part of a wider positioning of the centre around health and wellbeing, with the council saying the new building is intended to future-proof sports, health and wellbeing services currently delivered across its existing facilities. Everyone Active has operated Stevenage Borough Council’s leisure portfolio since April 2023.
Allan Prescott, Everyone Active contract manager, said: “The new Sports and Leisure Centre will be a fantastic addition for the town and we’re proud to be working with Stevenage Borough Council to support its delivery.”
The building will also incorporate solar PV, swales and rain gardens and a new mechanical, electrical and plumbing system designed to maximise energy efficiency. Externally, plans include enhanced green space, cycle parking, on-site parking and a dedicated bus drop-off area for school groups.
According to Morgan Sindall, the project will also break new ground structurally, becoming the first pool hall in the UK to use a post-tensioned design solution spanning up to 30 metres.
Rod Pavey, area director for Morgan Sindall Construction in the Northern Home Counties, said: “This project plays a vital role in the transformation of Stevenage, and we’re delighted to be a part of it.
“Working closely with Stevenage Borough Council, we look forward to delivering a high-quality facility that will enrich the lives of local people and provide a welcoming, inclusive space for the whole community.”
The project is being delivered through the SCAPE Construction framework and is partly financed by Stevenage’s Towns Fund settlement. The town secured £37.5 million (US$50.1 million) from the government in March 2021, with £10 million (US$13.4 million) allocated to the Sports and Leisure Centre.
Adrian Hawkins OBE, chair of the Stevenage Development Board, said: “We’re delighted to see work begin on this fantastic new Sports and Leisure Centre, one of the key projects within our Towns Fund programme, which will play an important role in the bold regeneration of our town and help make Stevenage even better.”
The centre forms part of a much larger transformation of Stevenage town centre. Separately, the proposed Station Gateway development has an estimated value of around £1 billion (US$1.34 billion) and could deliver at least 1,000 homes, commercial space, new public realm and improved station facilities and connections between the railway station and town centre.
Morgan Sindall has also committed to offering apprenticeships and work placements during construction, working with Stevenage Works – the council-led employment and training hub – and engaging subcontractors and suppliers based within 20 miles of the site.
