Part of leisure centre to be demolished to make way for redevelopment

Plans have officially been approved to redevelop a Cambridgeshire leisure centre

Proposals to redevelop a leisure centre in a Cambridgeshire town have been given the go-ahead. Part of Manor Leisure Centre in Whittlesey is set to be demolished as part of a multi-million pound redevelopment.

The Fenland District Council and Alliance Leisure project will redevelop and expand the pool building and demolish the sports hall building. Currently, the pool and sports facilities are within separate buildings either side of the main car park.

The upgraded centre will become a “modern, multifunctional combined facility building where all health and fitness activities could be located side by side”. It will provide accessible spaces for exercise, including fitness studios, swimming pools, sports courts, adventure play, community café, new skatepark and padel courts and exercise programmes.

The existing 25 metre swimming pool will be refurbished but with a retained pool tank structure. The ‘village change’ will provide 38 changing cubicles, showers, including seven pre-swim and six for post swim, approximately 150 individual lockers, grooming areas and a baby change facility.

A progress update report published in February said a leisure centre just for sport is no longer a “financially viable proposal” and must attract users for other activities.

A planning statement explains: “For the facilities to be successful, they need to create a community around them. The café area provides community refreshment space within the new building, leading to the viewing area which provides for a space where parents can engage in watching their children using the soft play area but as well spills into the viewing of the pool area.”

According to the now approved plans, the scheme is designed to “promote health and wellbeing for all users irrespective of their age, ability or background”.

It is proposed that the centre’s car park will undergo future expansion following demolition works. The Manor Leisure centre was built in 1974 beginning as an outdoor lido and covered during the mid 1980s. The sports hall building contained a hall, spin rooms and changing rooms for football which is no longer in use.