Part of Waverley borough’s ongoing improvements to leisure and recreational facilities is the planning of a new £30m leisure centre in Cranleigh.
Designed by PHT members Gale & Snowden Architects and Space and Place Architects and built by PHT Patron Kier, the St Sidwell’s Point Leisure Centre opened to the public on 29 April 2022. The £42 million project is the UK’s first Passivhaus Leisure Centre and public pool. It is also only one of a handful of such projects worldwide. There are currently two Passivhaus swimming pool buildings in Germany; St. Sidwell’s Point project has the additional complexity of including a 150-station gym, studios, spin studio, creche, and health suite with spa facilities.
Waverley Council wants to hear your views, so it asks for feedback and suggestions to help inform the new design.
You can help shape the design by completing a survey and giving your thoughts on using the new leisure centre.
To take part in the survey, click here https://forms.office.com/e/MAGS16B8gV
You can also access the survey via the Waverley Borough Council website. Go to the leisure centre section and then click through to Cranleigh new leisure centre.
This survey closes on 19 January 2024 at 5 pm. Responses will help inform the design, and the council will share the detailed plans.
Councillor Liz Townsend, Waverley Borough Council Portfolio Holder for Planning, Regeneration and Economic Development, said:
“We are delighted to share this survey to help us design the new leisure facility in Cranleigh. The council is committed to becoming carbon-neutral by 2030 and this project is a fantastic opportunity to lower carbon emissions and deliver a wonderful new facility that is fit for the future.
“I’m excited about what this new facility can offer in terms of how it will look, how it can be a hub for community health and wellbeing and how it can benefit the residents of Cranleigh and the surrounding villages. We’d love to hear your views. Please complete the survey before 19 January 2024 and let us know what you think.”
If you have questions about the survey or the new leisure centre or want to send more detailed feedback, please email clcnewbuild@waverley.gov.uk.
How can the Waverley Borough Council taxpayers afford it? It is difficult to understand how a new leisure centre based upon a cradle to grave consideration will lower the carbon foot print. It would be more prudent to consider if the leisure centre is value for money and should draw resources from other statutory obligations. To be carbon neutral by 2030 requires a serious review of leisure centres which were reported as 47% of Waverley BC’s carbon emissions.