Architect appointed for leisure centre project

AN architect has been appointed for the next stage of a major Stocksbridge Community Leisure Centre project.

Stocksbridge Community Leisure Centre receive a boost from The Dransfield Foundation

Making the Stocksbridge Community Leisure Centre (SCLC) more accessible to local people is the exciting challenge that’s been given to architects TP Bennett LLP by the Well Sheffield team.

Well Sheffield is a community project based in Stocksbridge which is working alongside local people to help them improve their health and wellbeing. It is supporting the development of a ‘health hub’ at the community managed Leisure Centre and the neighbouring Oxley Park.

Initial work by post graduate architectural students from the Sheffield University, Department of Architecture identified opportunities for the hub to offer a wide range of health, sport and leisure activities.

As the next step, the team at TP Bennett LLP will consider options for developing all aspects of the centre to make the facility fully accessible to visitors and staff members alike. This will include the creation of an accessible shower and changing facility, extension of the existing fitness gym and creating a new ground floor wheelchair friendly accessible gym.

A new and improved main entrance, reception and social café will complete this phase of the transformation and pave the way for further phases linking the Centre to outdoor facilities in the nearby Oxley Park.

Leigh Dimelow, Principal Director at TP Bennett, said: “We are delighted to be given the opportunity to work with the Well Sheffield team in developing the Stocksbridge Community Leisure Centre Project. Born and raised in Deepcar and Stocksbridge, and having spent many a day enjoying the benefits of the leisure centre, this project is very close to my heart.

As a significant part of the sports, social, recreational and educational side of the valley, I would personally like nothing more than to see the Centre flourish and exceed expectations that the community has for the facility and surrounding areas."

Andy Clarke, Well Sheffield Programme Manager and Chief Executive Officer of 4SLC, the Community Trust operating the Centre, added:

Upgrading the quality of our facilities as well as unlocking access into and around the Centre is key if we are to attract more people to use it."

These improvements will create many new business opportunities and help establish the Centre as a key community health hub.”

Dransfield Properties have donated more than £16,000 to the Stocksbridge Community Leisure Centre through the South Yorkshire based firm’s charitable foundation.

The funds were raised though the property company’s annual Tour of Europe bike ride which last year covered a route from Copenhagen to Oslo.

A total of £16,227.75 has been donated to the charity with a similar amount also being awarded to the team’s other chosen charity, Action Against Cancer.

Fay Howard from Stocksbridge Community Leisure Centre said:

This is a fantastic donation from the Dransfield Foundation which will make a great contribution towards our project and we can’t thank Mark and the team who take on this amazing cycling challenge enough.”

Mark Dransfield said:

We are delighted and very proud to be able to make this contribution to our local community here in Stocksbridge".

Thank you to everyone who takes part in our bike ride every year and of course to every single person who donates to our fundraising efforts - it really is appreciated.”