The main objective of Sandwell Council for the construction of a new £10 million Leisure Centre in Wednesbury was to improve the health and prosperity of the local community and at the same time promote the regeneration of this edge of town centre location.
The project has succeeded in both objectives by providing an architectural gateway and a popular and well used centre for leisure and sporting activities.
Project details:
The Leisure Centre, designed by the council’s Urban Design and Building Services, is the first phase of the redevelopment of a larger project in this area which will incorporate a health centre satellite linked to the new Midland Metropolitan Hospital.
The Leisure Centre is the first building to be completed in the programme and is a strategic investment in the future development of Wednesbury.
The council took the initiative in developing the project in 2013 when it was no longer viable to maintain the existing Leisure Centre due to its network of corroding pipework and large quantities of asbestos.
The new centre links seamlessly through to a new sports hall, built to replace the existing which was subject to an arson attack. It incorporates a 25 metre swimming pool, training pool, fully equipped fitness centre and dance studios.
From a site that once contained a neglected building on a poor quality site having several planning constraints the design team have created an attractive modern sports centre that is valued by the community and is the cornerstone of redevelopment in the neighbourhood.
