Designs revealed for a new Sports & Leisure Centre for Stevenage: Have Your Say

In late 2023 Stevenage Borough Council asked the public to share their views on what they would like from a proposed new Sports & Leisure Centre for the town. This will bring together sports, leisure and swimming facilities under one roof, whereas they are currently provided at Stevenage Arts & Leisure Centre, and Stevenage Swimming Centre.

The feedback we received from this survey has helped us to shape the new facility for the town and we have been working with Morgan Sindall and FaulknerBrowns Architects on the designs for the new building. Today we are pleased to share the initial designs for the building and the internal facilities, and we are asking local communities, residents and businesses to give their feedback as the designs take shape.

The proposals are available to view online via the have your say section or on the Stevenage Even Better website, where there is also a feedback form to leave your views. A series of drop-in sessions will also be taking place, with members of the project team available to discuss the proposals:

• Saturday 23 November, 12:00 – 16:30, Stevenage Town Square (Town Centre Gazebo)
• Monday 25 November, 18:30 – 20:00, Stevenage Arts & Leisure Centre café
• Wednesday 27 November, 12:30 – 14:30, 21 Town Square (former McDonald's Unit), Stevenage Town Square
• Saturday 30 November, 10:30 – 12:30, Stevenage Swimming Centre

The closing date to share your views is Friday 6 December at 5pm.

The facility will encompass swimming, studios and gym space with flexible sports and leisure facilities, along with a café, soft play and interactive water play area in a modern building that champions sustainability and accessibility.

Cllr Richard Henry, Leader of Stevenage Borough Council, commented: “A new Sports & Leisure Centre for Stevenage is really exciting. As a council that champions health and wellbeing, we understand the importance of modern, varied facilities that encourage and make sport and leisure accessible and fun for everyone. This is a fantastic opportunity to future proof these services by replacing them with brand-new facilities, working with our communities as we look to deliver this new and upgraded offering for the town”.

The project will be partially funded through the Government’s Towns Fund. The Stevenage Development Board secured £37.5m in March 2021, and a proportion of this will be used for this new facility.

Adrian Hawkins OBE, Chair of the Stevenage Development Board, commented: “The new Sports and Leisure Centre arrangements are gathering momentum and the preliminary concept and format for this wonderful facility is taking shape wonderfully in what will be an extremely modern facility which we will be truly proud to deliver. Our successful bid for the largest Towns Fund in the country has provided the necessary financial support to create a facility we will all be proud to deliver. Another amazing and successful project by the Stevenage Development Board delivered by Stevenage Borough Council”.

Cllr Loraine Rossati, Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Wellbeing, said: “The feedback that we received from our survey last year gave us a real insight into what is important to local people. We have worked hard to take on board those views as we move through this process together, and today we encourage residents, businesses and visitors to have their say on the proposals. This is a new space for Stevenage and by working collaboratively, we’ll have a centre that everyone can enjoy. Please do use this opportunity to give us your feedback”. 

Morgan Sindall Construction, experts in building leisure facilities, have been appointed to help deliver the Sports & Leisure Hub whilst architect FaulknerBrowns are designing the facility. The upgraded services will be managed by Everyone Active, a specialist leisure operator who operate the council’s leisure facilities within the town.

Emma Curtis, Area Director at Morgan Sindall Construction, commented: “With a wealth of leisure experience, Morgan Sindall understands the importance these facilities play in not just bringing communities together but in providing a strong health and wellbeing foundation for the next generation.

“The new Sports and Leisure Hub will not only be a new focal point for the town, it will encourage greater levels of participation in sport, delivering improvements to quality of life across Stevenage.

“We are very proud to be working alongside Stevenage Borough Council to deliver its transformational regeneration plans.”

Stephen McIntyre, Partner at FaulknerBrowns Architects, commented: “We are delighted to be working with Morgan Sindall and Stevenage Borough Council to help build the new Sports and Leisure Centre in Stevenage. We look forward to developing a building design using our extensive experience of delivering sports and leisure projects to help create a community facility which actively promotes participation in sport. The new centre will be designed to serve the local community encouraging people to engage in a more active lifestyle enabling them to benefit from improved physical and mental health. The new facility compliments and reinforces the council’s ambitious regeneration plans and we are delighted to be part of the next architectural chapter of Stevenage.”

Allan Prescott, Everyone Active Contract Manager, said: "Everyone Active is looking forward to operating these new facilities that Stevenage Borough Council is providing for the community. Having sports, leisure and swimming all under one roof will create a more streamlined experience for local residents."