Operator gets go ahead on £9m Community Health Hub

WORK is set to get underway on a new community hub in a Nottinghamshire town after the district council approved plans and secured significant funding for its Health Hub project.

The Warsop Health Hub, based at Carr Lane Park, Mansfield, has received £3m from the Government’s Towns Fund and a £1.8m capital grant from Sport England to kick-start the project.

The new Hub will be delivered by leisure development specialist Alliance Leisure, in partnership with Abacus as project manager and principal designer, architects Roberts Limbrick and contractor Pellikaan Construction.

The UK Leisure Framework, which is managed by Denbighshire Leisure, has been used as the procurement route for sourcing the development team.

Once complete in October 2024, facilities will include a 15m x 8m swimming pool with a splash play area for younger children, a gym featuring the latest cardiovascular and resistance equipment, a two-court sports hall and an improved multi-use games area.

The facility will also offer a café with a viewing of the swimming pool, reception area and community facilities, including multi-purpose spaces and an IT suite.

Julia Goddard, senior business development manager at Alliance Leisure, said: “We have brought together a team of expert partners to deliver what will be a first-class facility for the local community.

“We’ve been involved from the very start in scoping the project and we’re looking forward to seeing the project develop as we head into construction and beyond.”

The plan for the Health Hub follows detailed research commissioned by the district council in 2019 into the leisure and community provision in the parish of Warsop.

This work was supported by Vibrant Warsop, Warsop Parish Council and Active Notts, community groups, members of the local community, and partner organisations who were all asked for their views at consultation events and in a community-wide survey.

Lisa Dodd-Mayne, executive director, place at Sport England, added: “Sport England’s Uniting the Movement strategy aims to provide opportunities for all people to access sport and physical activity, regardless of their backgrounds, bank balance or postcodes.

“Accessible, flexible and inclusive local facilities that enable people to play sport and get active are vital for our communities to lead happy and healthy lives.

“The Warsop Health Hub is one of the first facilities to use our new Leisure Local concept and the site will work towards the vision set out in our recent ‘Future of Public Leisure’ report.

“The opportunities to get active that will be made possible by the development of the Hub are exciting to see and will benefit the community for years to come.”

Ground works for the Warsop Health Hub are anticipated to begin in summer 2023.