Milestone reached with construction of £15m leisure centre

Construction of the new £15m Spen Valley Leisure Centre has reached a major new milestone with the installation of the main steel frame on site.

The steel frame phase of the build will continue until October as the leisure centre structure begins to take form.

The full build programme remains on track for the new facility to open in the winter of 2021-22.

Leader of Kirklees Council, Councillor Shabir Pandor, said: “It is fantastic to see the progress on site and you can now really begin to see the form the final Spen Valley Leisure Centre will take.

“This is a major development project that will provide truly outstanding state-of-the-art leisure facilities for residents of all ages in the Spen Valley.

“Despite the challenges of the pandemic over the last few months we remain fully committed to delivering long-awaited investments all over Kirklees, including the Spen Valley Leisure Centre.”

Kirklees Council says that due to COVID-19, it is still not possible to open some of the smaller fitness facilities in Kirklees, including Spenborough Fitness Complex which sits next to the site of the new leisure centre.

The multi-level design and access routes within this building, coupled with the current social distancing and additional hygiene requirements, make it impossible for the facility to open safely for the foreseeable future.

A spokesman for the council explained: “The existing fitness complex was due to be removed once the new leisure centre opened.

“Due to the current circumstances, Kirklees Council and Kirklees Active Leisure (KAL) have decided that removal of the existing Spenborough fitness complex building will be brought forward and that this facility will now not reopen.

“This will speed up completion of the new car park and other external facilities in time for the leisure centre opening and improve the experience of all customers from day one.”