LEISURE
ACTIVITY HUB GETS COMMUNITY MOVING Brentwood Borough Council has officially opened a new, all-year-round activity hub, which has transformed an under-utilised recreation ground into an active, accessible environment that will encourage everyone in the community to move more.
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he £7m scheme to transform King George’s Playing Fields in Brentwood began in January 2021 and has been delivered by Alliance Leisure, lead development contractor on the UK Leisure Framework, owned by Denbighshire Leisure. The project forms part of the council’s 10-year leisure strategy. Running until 2028, the strategy outlines the council’s vision for a high-quality, accessible, affordable and financially-sustainable sport and leisure provision, which delivers a mix of facilities and services that will service the diverse needs of residents both now and in the future. “The transformation of King George’s Playing Fields is an important part of Brentwood Borough Council’s ambitions to futureproof its leisure and recreation
facilities. This project is a prime example of how to re-think public leisure provision, creating accessible and financiallysustainable facilities that will ensure a successful future for this much-loved park, while improving the health and wellbeing of local people,” said Ruth Ripsher, Business Development Manager at Alliance Leisure.
Creating a diverse, sustainable leisure provision Prior to this investment, the recreation ground already offered a variety of sports and recreation facilities including a children’s play area, skate park, football and rugby pitches, bowls greens, a 1970s pavilion used by Hartswood Golf Club and a privately-run crazy golf course.
The purpose of the development has been focused on supporting the borough’s anticipated housing growth and the fulfilment of an ambition to increase participation in physical activity, especially amongst young people. Following consultation with key stakeholders and the wider public, Alliance Leisure, working through the UK Leisure Framework with a dedicated supply chain of leisure specialists, has delivered a mix of facilities, both inside and outside of a newbuild pavilion, that balances financial viability for the council with addressing the leisure needs of residents. Planning for the redevelopment was secured at the end of 2019, but the pandemic meant that construction was delayed. Works finally got underway in January 2021 with most of the development opening to the public on 11th March 2022.
Accessible sport and physical activity for everyone The project centrepiece is an impressive new pavilion which replaces a building previously occupied mainly by Hartswood Golf Club. Built in the 1970s, the structure required significant work to upgrade the site and transform the provision into a multi-purpose venue that would inspire and engage a much wider segment of the community. Designed by Saunders Boston Architects and built by ISG, the new building, named the Hartswood Pavilion – is located adjacent to the current pavilion which is due to be demolished now that the new building is complete. It is a two-storey structure that has been sunken into the ground reducing its impact on the openness of the green belt and carefully considered composite cladding
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