heAlth And fitness


Dispute over Sheffield leisure investment


A Sheffield City councillor has criticised a decision by the ruling administration to reallocate some of the cash earmarked for a leisure centre revamp to other facilities. Stocksbridge Leisure Centre had been


due to benefit from £300,000 worth of improvements, but £200,000 has now been reallocated to three other venues as well. Local councillor Jack Clarkson urged the


local authority to reverse the decision and to seek funding for the other three schemes from other sources, but his motion was rejected at a meeting held last month.


Ashington consultation starts


Local residents are being asked for their opinions on the best location for a planned new £20m Ashington Leisure Centre in Northumberland. Northumberland County


Council (NCC) has identi- fied two potential sites for the proposed new development – the former Asda supermar- ket site in the centre of town and a former hospital site in Ashington’s West View area. Te local authority is plan-


ning to develop a multi-use centre with leisure facilities including a swimming pool, a gym and studio space. Other proposed facil- ities will feature a registrars office, a library service, a café and meeting space. Te council is also considering a GP surgery on-site. NCC executive member for customer ser-


Te new Harborne facility is nearing completion


DC Leisure to run new Birmingham pool


DC Leisure has been chosen by Birmingham City Council (BCC) to operate and manage the city’s first new public swimming pool to be built for more than 20 years. Te £12.2m Harborne Pool and Fitness


Centre will remain under BCC ownership, with facilities to include a 25m main pool; a learner pool; and a 60-station adult gym. An interactive children’s fitness suite


and an aerobics and dance studio are also proposed as part of the facility, which is scheduled to open on 3 January and is cur- rently £600,000 under budget.


Pole dancing and vibrations at new Manchester club


A new Manchester-based independent health club is targeting students and young professional women by offering a mix of pole dancing and vibration training. Pole Plates Studios was established with


an investment of around £44,000 and is located in a refurbished office space. Te space features a large pole dancing


area and Power Plate studio with four pro6 machines. Customers can buy one-off ses- sions from £15 per Power Plate class and £12 for pole dancing, with membership and ses- sion package options also available.


6 A group exercise studio is among the plans for the new Ashington centre


vices and culture Neil Bradbury, said: “We’re proposing to invest £20m in this new facility


but to make the project the best it can be, we need the ideas and opinions of local people. We particularly welcome thoughts about the sort of activities and services we could add and opinions on the choice of location.” Te public consultation is due to last for eight weeks from 5 December.


Newcastle’s Jubilee 2 centre set to open


Te new £10m Jubilee 2 leisure complex in Newcastle-under- Lyme, Staffordshire, is to open its doors later this month. Lead contractor Morgan


Sindall is due to hand over the keys to the new development to Newcastle Borough Council (NBC) on 9 December, with the venue’s opening scheduled for 12 December. Facilities are to include a


25m, eight-lane swimming pool; a 12m training pool with moveable floor and aqua gym equipment; a 90-station fit- ness suite; and a sauna area with steamrooms and feature showers. A 12m climbing wall; a 4m bouldering and


Te new Jubilee 2 facility will feature a 90-station gym and a sauna area


traverse wall; and an interactive children’s activ- ity zone also form part of the Wm Saunders Partnership-designed building, which has been


built by NBC in partnership with NHS North Staffordshire and Sport England. Te new centre features eco-friendly mea-


sures, including using wood from sustainable Scandinavian forests in its glulam beams.


January opening for new Telford facility


Telford and Wrekin Council has revealed that the new Abraham Darby Sports and Leisure Centre, part of the Abraham Darby Learning Community, will open in January. Te new facility will open along with the Woodlands Primary School, with the handover


Read Leisure Opportunities online: www.leisureopportunities.co.uk/digital


of the buildings from contractor Kier to the local authority to take place on 9 December. Leisure facilities will be available to the pub-


lic from 9 January, which are to comprise a 25m, five-lane swimming pool with moveable floor and a 70-station fitness suite.


Twitter: @leisureopps © CYBERTREK 2011


image: robert kneschke


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