Leisure Centre - Healthplex

A new £21 million sports and leisure facility is planned for Hengrove Park that will be a massive boost to the quality of sports and swimming facilities in the south of the city. The facility will be a sub-regional centre for sport as well as an important community facility and its connection with the neighbouring new community hospital will make it one of the leading projects of its kind in the UK.

The leisure centre was granted planning consent on 29 October 2008. The anticipated construction start date is March 2009, opening by September 2010.

The new sports and swimming complex will feature:

• Ten-lane 50-metre swimming pool, with adjustable floor, suitable for family, fitness and competition swimming.
• Learner pool, with adjustable floor, providing fun swimming for the whole family.
• Spa and steam room
• Health and Fitness suite with 150 stations offering running, rowing, cycling and other fitness machines, and a free weights area
• Aerobics studio
• Four court sports hall for badminton, basketball, athletics training, five-a-side football, and netball.
• Healthy Living Zone with a café and crèche
• Modern and attractive changing facilities, and meeting rooms.

The facility is being funded through a Private Finance Initiative (PFI), the same kind of arrangement that is helping build most of Bristol's secondary schools. A private sector partner will design, build, finance and operate the facilities in partnership with the city council. Two companies were shortlisted by Bristol City Council.

On 31st July 2008, councillors selected the 'preferred bidder' - Bristol Active Limited to:

• Design, build, fund and operate the leisure centre complex for 25 years under the Private Finance Initiative
• Design and build the car parking facilities to serve Phase 1 of Hengrove Park and operate for 25 years within the leisure centre PFI agreement
• Design and build the central plaza - which the city council will then manage

Bristol Active Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of Parkwood Project Management Ltd (now trading as Parkwood Consultancy Services). Bristol Active Limited is a consortium of companies that joined together to bid for the Council’s Hengrove Leisure PFI project. The consortium is led by Parkwood Consultancy Services, and supported by sister company Parkwood Leisure (Leisure Operator), Carillion Regional Building (Builders), LA architects (Lead Designer) and nabCapital (Funder).

The centre will be served by cycle links and car parking and new extended bus links.

A planning application has been submitted. All planning documents are available to view online or at Brunel House, St Georges' Road, Bristol BS1 5UY.

Find out how Bristol City Council is planning to transform swimming in Bristol or
E-mail Sport Services: sport@bristol.gov.uk.

Artist impression of the swimming pool

Artist impression of the main entrance