Places Leisure awarded Spelthorne contract
10-year agreement to operate leisure services
Places Leisure has been awarded the Spelthorne (Surrey) Leisure Management contract on a 10-year term from summer 2024.
Following a competitive procurement process, the new contract includes the operation of the existing Sunbury Leisure Centre and the new £50m Spelthorne Leisure Centre, which is due to open next summer.
The state-of-the-art facility will be located in Knowle Green in Staines-upon-Thames and will feature a comprehensive range of facilities, including:
- a 25m, eight lane swimming pool with micro filtration technology and spectator seating
- a 20m x 10m learner pool with movable floor and a splash pad
- Poolpod pool access (providing independent, comfortable access to the pools for anyone who may find it difficult to access the pool using a ladder or steps)
- Changing Places changing facility with hoist
- sauna and steam rooms
- 2 dedicated group changing rooms, 4 family changing rooms, and showers
- 6 court sports hall with cricket nets and LED line markings
- 3 squash courts
- additional multi-purpose room with badminton court marking and Fencing pistes
- up to 200-station fitness suite with dedicated free weights and warm-up area
- a spin studio and two multi-purpose studios with views across Staines Park
- a soft play area
- Clip and Climb arena
- Café
- roof terrace
- extensive bike storage and a 300-space car park with EV charging point bays
- a flagship roof-top design with four artificial 3G football pitches
- dementia friendly design (consideration on type and position of signage, colours of flooring/mats, and no mirrors opposite the doors on lifts)
Dan Walker, Business Development Director, said: “We are thrilled and delighted to be awarded this prestigious contract and look forward to welcoming a new Community into the wider Places for People family from 2024. Together with the Council, this development is a huge part of our purpose to create more active places and empower more healthy people. Our core focus will be supporting the local community, the people that live and work in the borough, and of course working in partnership with the Council to enable the community to thrive.”
Being the first full scale 'wet and dry' and largest leisure centre in the UK to be fully built to the ultra-low energy 'Passivhaus' standard, the new leisure centre is making energy efficiency a top priority. Spelthorne Borough Council expects the new centre to use between 60 to 70% less energy than a conventional modern leisure centre. This is a huge step in helping the Council achieve its aim of becoming carbon neutral in the coming years and is in line with improving the green credentials of Places Leisure.
Cllr Sue Doran, Chair of Spelthorne Borough Council’s Community Wellbeing Committee, said: “Places Leisure have a fantastic track-record of working with residents and local authorities to provide excellent sport, leisure and fitness facilities. We have been impressed by their passion for getting people from all sections and ages of the community engaged in active lifestyles and creating fun vibrant centres where residents can enjoy their free time. We very much look forward to working with them.”
You can get the latest updates about the new leisure centre on the Spelthorne Borough Council website here
You can also find further information in the Spelthorne Borough Council FAQs here