PROPERTY Hull in the running for £30m concert arena S&P Architects drew up the centre’s design


£19m Everyone Active Acton Centre completed


Ealing Council’s £19m redevelopment of Acton Town Hall in west London is complete, with the new leisure centre opening 19 April fol- lowing more than 22 months of construction. Te comprehensive redesign – drawn up by


S&P Architects and carried out by Willmott Dixon – has resulted in the addition of a 100-station gym, eight-lane 25m swimming pool, 12m training pool with movable floor, two dance studios and a library. To celebrate the completion, operator


Everyone Active is hosting a free open day on Saturday 10 May. Te day will be hosted by sports presenter Steve Parry and will see a number of team GB swimmers in atten- dance. Details: http://lei.sr?a=T6s6q


Leisure development activity soars to 11-year high


Te UK’s economic recovery has received a welcome boost from the leisure indus- try, with development activity in the retail and leisure sector reaching a record high, according to new data. Te latest research from property agent


Savills found that 32 per cent of respon- dents to its monthly survey reported a rise in retail and leisure activity in March, the sector’s highest score since 2003. Developers are also optimistic that there


is more to come, with 30 per cent saying they expect growth over the next three months. Tis compares to the net balance of 35 per cent of respondents who said the same thing in February. Te survey breaks the UK down into


three regions (London, the South East and rest of the UK), with the trio all reporting March activity growth – continuing a trend that has run for the past 19 months. Another recent report noted that the


UK leisure industry was one of the most resilient during the recent recession, with spending on recreational and cultural ser- vices rising by 0.2 per cent per annum, while total household spending contracted 0.2 per cent. Details: http://lei.sr?a=B5P6f


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Hull’s crowning as the UK City of Culture 2017 could be capped with a new £30m concert arena and hotel that the city hopes could hold major cultural events like the BAFTAs and Brit Awards. Hull City Council has


reportedly identified two derelict city centre sites which could be used for an 8,000-capacity entertainment complex – with councillors meeting BBC director gen- eral Tony Hall last week to discuss the programme of cultural events for 2017. A senior council source


Te site could host the BAFTAS and Te Brit Awards


has been reported by local media as saying the city would bid to host national television events if the plans come to fruition, as well as rival Leeds’ new First Direct Arena in its


ability to draw world-famous musicians. Te Leeds venue has so far hosted stars such as Rod Stewart and Bruce Springsteen since launching in July 2013. Details: http://lei.sr?a=F8M4A


Stoke intu expansion gets green light


Council bosses have agreed to sell land to a shopping centre in Stoke to facilitate a £20m expansion leisure project. Despite blocking a similar


deal 18 months ago, Stoke- on-Trent City Council plans to sell off 537sq m (5,780sq ſt) of land at Quadrant Road to intu Potteries for £180,000. Te 60,000sq ſt expansion


– called Te Hive and inxor- porating the newly purchased land – will feature five restau- rants and a Cineworld, but the council’s earlier refusal to sell the land forced developer intu to scale back orig- inal plans for the land. Te city council last year revealed the orig-


Te Hive will feature five restaurants and a Cineworld multiplex


inal land deal would have put it in breach of its contract with Realis Estates, the develop- ers behind another proposed £350m shopping complex on the site of the former bus station. Outline planning permission for the City


Central development lapsed in February 2014 but Realis and the council have insisted it will still go ahead. Tose proposals were originally due for completion next year and included a department store, multi-screen cinema and an 80-bedroom hotel, in addi- tion to more than 70 shops and restaurants. Details: http://lei.sr?a=a3u9Q


£6m hotel and gym to replace derelict bowling alley


Work has begun on a new £6m hotel and gym facility in Harrogate town centre. Pure Gym and Travelodge will occupy the


mixed-use development, including a 70-bed- room hotel and a 16,900sq ft gym facility respectively. Leeds-based Gregory Property


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


Group bought the former bowling alley in 2011 and secured planning approval to redevelop the site in February 2013. It’s agreed a 25-year lease with Travelodge to operate the hotel plus a 15-year lease with Pure Gym for the fitness facility. Details: http://lei.sr?a=3w5X5


Twitter: @leisureopps © CYBERTREK 2014


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