Leisure centre to get new swimming pool and soft play centre - sneak peek
Major plans to overhaul a North Staffordshire leisure centre have been revealed. And council leaders want to hear the public's views on the proposed changes at Leek's Brough Park Leisure Centre.
It comes after Staffordshire Moorlands District Council received more than £17 million from the Government's Levelling Up Fund. Now details of the revamp at the leisure centre have been put forward.
In addition the local authority is also seeking additional funding to provide facilities such as a soft play area and "community wellness suite" where residents can access support programmes to boost their health. A design and access statement submitted as part of the application added that a café area was planned next to the play area.
Plans at the leisure centre include:
A new 25m six-lane pool with a separate teaching pool;
New swimming pool changing facilities including a ‘changing places’ room;
Extended and refurbished gym;
A second large group exercise studio;
A dedicated indoor cycling studio.
A design and access statement submitted as part of the planning application for the revamp states: "The existing four-lane pool is to be replaced by a new 6-lane, 13m x 25m pool. In order to provide flexibility of use a 7m x 11.4m training pool will be provided in a separate hall to the main pool.
"The existing fitness gym is being extended by 113m² to provide an extra 25 stations. The combined capacity will therefore be 60 stations.
"A new 128m² studio will be formed adjacent the existing dance studio. An area of the existing fitness gym will be converted to form a dedicated 67m² (22 person) spin studio.
"The Community Wellness Suite will be an inclusive toning facility aimed at elderly and disabled users. The toning equipment promotes flexibility and helps to speed post-surgery recovery.
"The suite will contain power assisted fitness machines that provide a low impact full body workout. Each machine type works a variety of muscle groups from a seated or recumbent position."
Display boards showing the proposals are available to view online, both inside and outside the leisure centre, until Friday, May 10 and people are invited to get involved by sharing their views on the spaces being proposed.
Rob Wilks, head of service commissioning at the council, said: "A lot of work has been done to get us to this point. We're pleased to share these plans with the public and ask for their thoughts and opinions on what is being proposed.
"The comments received will help refine the internal plans as we head into the detailed design phase and also influence where additional investment could be made - particularly to the outside spaces. I'd like to encourage as many people as possible to get involved with the consultation and tell us what you think."
For people unable to visit the leisure centre, the same information, including links to a short survey, is available on the council’s website.
The Government cash has also seen projects get underway to rejuvenate the Butter and Trestle markets and improve the Nicholson Institute.
Listed below are other planning applications published online by councils across North Staffordshire during the past fortnight.
Stoke-on-Trent City Council
70926/FUL: Demolition of toilet block and replacement with new single storey toilet facility building at Port Vale Football Club, Hamil Road, Burslem, ST6 1AJ
70899/FUL: Installation of an external chair lift to residential dwelling at 21 Prime Street, Hanley, ST1 6PT
70867/FUL: Two storey side extension with part two storey and single storey rear extension at 35 Houghton Street, Hanley, ST1 3BJ
70906/TPO: Crown reduction to one sycamore tree (Tree Preservation Order 116) at 95 Barlaston Old Road, Trentham, ST4 8HJ
70861/VAR: Variation of conditions 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9 and 10 of planning permission 63621/FUL (demolition of existing buildings and erection of a food store with access and associated parking) on land at Cobridge Road, Hanley
70832/FUL: Vehicular access at 31 Endon Road, Norton, ST6 8NA
70831/FUL: Single storey rear extension at 11 Cartmel Place, Burslem, ST6 7PU
70830/FUL: Erection of one detached dwelling at 30 Stanley Road, Hartshill, ST4 7PN
70828/FUL: Installation of two electric vehicle charging stations and ancillary equipment at McDonald's Restaurant, Victoria Road, Fenton, ST4 2HX
70826/CLP: Certificate of (proposed) lawful development for a single storey rear extension at 308 Birches Head Road, Birches Head, ST1 6NA
70820/FUL: Subdivision of ground floor to form to two retail shops with external alterations. Change of use of first floor to one self contained unit. First floor side extension, and single storey rear extension to form WC and garage at 17 Millrise Road, Milton, ST2 7BN
70812/AD: Installation of a illuminated and non-illuminated fascia signs, two illuminated pylon signs, entrance portico and parking signs at Stoke Seat, Gordon Banks Drive, Stoke, ST4 4FD
70809/AD: Two internally illuminated fascia signs and two applied window graphics at Well Pharmacy, Moorland Service Station, Moorland Road, Burslem
70808/FUL: Ground and first floor office extensions with associated external alterations at Michelin Tyre, Campbell Road, Stoke
70804/FUL: Erection of an external freezer storage area and installation of roof to existing bin store at Unit 1, Etruria Mills, Etruria Road, Stoke-on-Trent, ST1 5NS
70693/FUL: External alterations to include the replacement of front elevation windows and renewal of tiled roof coverings, and rear landscaping at The American, 144-148 Waterloo Road, Burslem, ST6 3HB
70683/FUL: Erection of three 2.4m high gates and associated fencing on path between America Street, McKinley Street, Knight Street, Tunstall
70550/FUL: Erection of five houses (amended application site boundary) on land off Grove Road, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 4LH
Newcastle Borough Council
24/00288/FUL: Proposed extension to an existing agricultural building at Tadgedale Farm, Mucklestone Road, Loggerheads
24/00281/LEXNOT: Prior notification of a single storey rear extension measuring 4.00m in depth, 3.10m maximum height and 2.69m to the eaves at 28 Boyles Hall Road, Bignall End, ST7 8QG
24/00253/OUT: Outline planning for nine residential dwellings, compromising eight semi-detached (three bed dwellings) and one detached (four bed dwelling) on land west of Barrie Gardens, Talke
24/00231/FUL: Application for residential development (42 dwellings) within Use Class C3, formation of amenity space, hard and soft landscaping works, provision of access and associated engineering work on land at St Lukes Close, Silverdale, ST5 6JS
24/00018/FUL: A single three-bedroom detached house and separate one and half storey garage at The Cottage, Moss Lane, Madeley, CW3 9NQ
Staffordshire Moorlands District Council
CON/2024/0006: Notice of Town and Village Green application at area known as Killer Hill, West Leek
DET/2024/0012: Application to determine if prior approval is required for proposed steel framed portal building for the storage of crops and implements at Springfield Barn, Bradley Lane, Bradley In The Moors, ST10 4DQ
DET/2024/0013: Application to determine if prior approval is required for a proposed replacement agricultural building at Yew Tree Farm, Dams Lane, Gratton, ST9 9AJ
SMD/2024/0176: Extension and refurbishment of existing leisure centre including new swimming pools, extended fitness gym and associated parking at Brough Park Leisure Centre, Ball Haye Road, Leek, ST13 6AT
DOC/2024/0024: Discharge of Condition 16 in relation to application SMD/2023/0197 (temporary development of a solar farm with ancillary infrastructure, security fence, access, landscaping and continued agriculture, to generate power to feed into the local distribution network) at Totmonslow Farm, Draycott Road, Totmonslow, Upper Tean, ST10 4JJ
SMD/2024/0174: Loft conversion including construction of new dormers and alterations to external bulding fabric to include new dormer porch to front elevation and landscaping works at Billys Croft, Leek Old Road, Rushton Spencer, SK11 0RN
HNT/2024/0003: Single storey rear extension to create a bedroom and shower room measuring 6m beyond the rear wall of the existing dwelling and 3m maximum height and 3m to height of eaves at 4 Trent Grove, Biddulph, ST8 6ND
SMD/2024/0171: Turn an existing ornamental grass area into hardstanding asphalt parking at Endon High School, Leek Road, Endon, ST9 9EE
SMD/2024/0169: Replacement dwelling at Gratton Haye Farm, Dams Lane, Gratton, ST9 9AJ
SMD/2024/0166: Proposed single storey extension at The Cottage, Edgefields Lane, Brown Edge, ST9 9NS
SMD/2024/0165: Change of use to part of the land for use as enclosed secure dog walking field (resubmission of SMD/2023/0179) on land at Caverswall Road, Caverswall
SMD/2024/0163: Removal of the existing timber conservatory and a proposed rear single storey extension to Keepers Cottage, Greenway Bank, Biddulph, ST8 7QX
SMD/2024/0139: Side and rear extension at 15 Hillside Road, Werrington, ST9 0LJ