Widnes leisure centre set for go-ahead
The £20m complex on Moor Lane is expected to be rubber-stamped at the start of November, with contractor Wates Construction gearing up to start work.
Halton Council itself is behind the project, with Wates, a prolific contractor in the sector, on board as delivery partner. The centre has been designed by architect Ellis Williams to replace the ageing Kingsway Leisure Centre.
Avison Young has advised on planning, with the professional team also including Ramboll and Keelagher Okey Klein.
The facility will feature a 25-metre swimming pool and 100-station gym, a sports hall, squash court and soft play area, and is expected to be completed by October 2022.
It will be built next to the Alexandra Industrial Estate, which is located off Moor Lane and bordered by Ellis Street and Witt Road. The site is currently used as a bus depot and space for a car hire company.
In the council’s development pipeline since 2018, plans were filed in May this year. The project was discussed in a restricted access Halton cabinet meeting last month.
Officers concluded that “the proposal seeks to bring forward a high quality replacement leisure centre in Widnes. within the key area of change of South Widnes” in a report compiled for Halton’s development control committee, which meets on 2 November.
The project has been in the pipeline since 2018
Related Articles
Analysis - Event Summary
Liverpool City Region Development Update | Photos, slides, and summary
A new government, revised city council structure… could these trigger a new dawn for Liverpool and its neighbours? The public and private sector – including Everton FC, Liverpool City Council, and Muse – shared their reasons to be optimistic for the city region’s future, as well as details about the challenges the area faces.
It would be more beneficial to make a 50 metre pool as this would bring more revenue to the town..as it could then be used for swimming events rather than having to travel to Manchester and Liverpool people would come to Widnes and spend money in the local businesses.
By Catherine O'Brien
Catherine, couldn’t agree more.
By Damien
How sad your spending £20 million and you can’t even help the community with free school meals through this pandemic people are loosing there jobs due to covid19 I think you need to get your prioritise right and help families that are in need of help but no you go ahead and spend 20 million
By Anonymous
The pool should be 50 metres and at least 8 lanes
By ronnie
Good news for Halton and Cheshire. Everything is not about Liverpool.
By Gerry
I agree they should make it 50m pool. I’m 62 now but when I was a lot younger I spent many hours in the old swimming pool we had swimming meetings school meetings great days. Cafe upstairs looking through the glass window watching every body having fun.
By Ian
Is it wise to be spending £20 Million on a sports centre when we may be stuck with this virus for years to come and people may be banned from using it. Just paint the old one, nothing wrong with it.
By Alan
Widnes Waterfront needs ambition. As Fiddlers Ferry is redeveloped there’s huge potential for the whole area from Halebank to Warrington. All the new and improved bridges, planned and achieved, will transform connectivity across the whole area.
And people are already cycling from Southport to Runcorn along the Mersey. It almost all joins up now!
By Red Squirrel