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Trowbridge leisure centre project moves a step forward as preferred location confirmed

We have chosen East Wing as our preferred location for a new leisure centre in Trowbridge

Published 22 May 2023

Following detailed analysis and stakeholder engagement, Wiltshire Council has confirmed its preferred location to provide a new leisure centre in Trowbridge.

The Wiltshire Council-owned East Wing site, located across the road from County Hall, has been identified as the preferred location for a new leisure centre that, when complete, will be home to a range of facilities.

Throughout the project the council has carried out a thorough review of what the current physical activity opportunities are in Trowbridge, to help identify which additional services and facilities might help to increase participation locally. More than 1,000 people shared their views with the council, with 550 young people also giving their thoughts on the type of services they would like to see.

The council looked at a number of sites to assess their suitability for a leisure centre, taking into account a variety of factors, including accessibility, site ownership, timescales, planning consideration and deliverability.

East Wing came out favourably among the other options considered, as it:

  •  has good public transport links
  • is accessible and within walking distance of the town centre
  • is a site that Wiltshire Council already owns
  • will encourage people to visit the town centre which brings economic opportunities
  • would mean no impact to customers during build
  • it's in a location will also be most beneficial to people who will get the most out of such a centre

 In terms of the proposed facilities at the new centre, the council has carried out extensive consultation and reviewed a wide range of evidence and data. As a result, the council believes that proposed facilities for the new centre will most benefit communities and the local area. They include:

  • A six-lane, 25 m swimming pool
  • 7 m x 13 m learner pool
  • Gym with 120 exercise stations
  • Two studios
  • Spin studio
  • Community meeting room
  • CafĂ©
  • Adventure play - providing active play for young people
  • Live well suite - providing a dedicated space for older people to exercise

However, it's important to note that these facilities are not confirmed and subject to change.

The proposed facilities do not include a sports hall, squash courts or gymnasium. Wiltshire Council intends to retain these facilities and dry changing rooms at Trowbridge Sports Centre.

Cllr Ian Blair-Pilling, Wiltshire Council Cabinet Member for Leisure, said: I am delighted that, following a huge amount of important due diligence, we're able to confirm the East Wing site as our preferred location for this exciting new leisure centre in our county town.

This investment bucks the trend of what is being seen nationally and we don't think many other councils around the country are taking this kind of positive approach.

Due to this significant investment, we are rightly being as thorough as we can as we know what a responsibility we have.

We once again thank everyone who provided us with invaluable feedback to help us get to this point. As stated in our Business Plan, we want to support people to stay active and ensure Wiltshire has well-connected communities and this centre will certainly help us achieve that.

We still have a lot of work ahead of us and should our follow-up work determine that East Wing isn't suitable, or other opportunities and options emerge then we will react to that. However, we are very confident the end result will be a centre for all ages that the community will truly be proud of for many years to come.

A single member decision has been published to confirm this latest development and this is subject to a call-in period.

Although it's too early date to provide a date on when the new centre will be in place, the council is anticipating that construction will commence in 2025.

The council will also continue to engage with the public and stakeholders throughout this project and has set up a dedicated webpage which will be regularly updated, and this includes some initial FAQs. The page can be found at  www.wiltshire.gov.uk/new-trowbridge-lc.  

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