FaulknerBrowns designs sustainable new wellness centre for Newcastle

Newcastle’s £28.9m Outer West Leisure Centre is scheduled to open next year. It replaces a 1960s facility that remained closed after the pandemic

Backed by £19.8m in Levelling Up funding it represents one of the largest investments in the area for many years

It features a gym with recovery areas, an eight-lane 25m pool and 17m training pool, a sports hall and public library

Designed by FaulknerBrowns Architects and being built by Morgan Sindall, it embeds eco-tech including solar PV panels and air source heat pumps

After some delays, work on Newcastle’s £28.9 million wellness centre at West Denton is underway and scheduled for completion in late 2027. 

FaulknerBrowns Architects, which is based nearby in Killingworth, has designed the facility, which has sustainability embedded throughout – including photovoltaic panelling, air source heat pumps, low energy LED lighting, high levels of insulation, charging points for electric vehicles and bike storage.

The Outer West Leisure Centre will feature a gym with recovery areas including a sauna and steamrooms. Rounding out the offering will be an eight-lane, 25 metre swimming pool, a 17 metre training pool and a sports hall. A new community library will be co-located. 

The new site, which will be operated under GLL’s Better brand, has received £19.8 million of government Levelling-Up money and represents one of the largest investments in the area for many years. It replaces the former 1960s West Denton Leisure Centre which didn’t re-open after the pandemic. 

Morgan Sindall Construction is the building contractor.