Broadbridge Heath Leisure Centre
The Council is consulting on options for leisure provision in the Broadbridge Heath area, including the future of Broadbridge Heath Leisure Centre.
In December 2011, it was agreed that no decision about the future of the leisure centre would be taken until a business case and draft planning document for the site was produced and agreed by Councillors.
In late February this year, the Council appointed consultants Strategic Leisure and FMG Consulting to produce a full report including a business case. The purpose was to present a range of options for leisure provision in the Broadbridge Heath area and to provide an evidence base enabling Councillors to make an informed decision about the leisure centre’s future.
Since December, significant engagement and dialogue has taken place with users of the leisure centre including current leaseholders, core user groups, national sporting governing bodies and the recently established Broadbridge Heath Joint User Group. This has helped shape the emerging options by ensuring that sport, community and social needs have been identified.
The business case report, together with accompanying appendices and presentation document, is available to download on the Business Case Report page.
The consultants consider four of the nine options to be the most viable and following agreement by Cabinet these are now recommended as the basis for public consultation. All four recommended options commit to re-providing a leisure centre south of the existing Horsham Indoor Bowls Club at Broadbridge Heath. These recommended options, numbered here the same as they are in the business case report, are:
- Option 4: Re-provision of a new smaller leisure centre providing ‘essential’ facilities and retaining the Indoor Bowls Club in its current location. Estimated cost £1.81m.
- Option 5: Same as Option 4 but also includes provision for a new ‘desirable’ athletics track albeit in an alternative location. Estimated cost £2.96m.
- Option 6: Re-provision of a new leisure centre providing ‘essential’ facilities and which incorporates a new 6 rink indoor bowls facility and cafe. Estimated cost £4.85m
- Option 7: Same as Option 6 but also includes provision for a ‘desirable’ athletics track albeit in an alternative location. Estimated cost £6m.
Option 6 is identified as the consultants' preferred option as it is fit for purpose, right sized and affordable to build and operate.
Most options either continue to provide or relocate to alternative sites those activities currently taking place at Broadbridge Heath Leisure Centre. However, the Council is working with some of the users of the site, such as the theatre groups, to ensure they have a viable way forward and are currently exploring the introduction of a District Arts and Drama Fund which may help the process. The Council will also work alongside local athletics groups to secure additional funding via national/sporting bodies where this is possible.
Have Your Say
The consultation exercise began on 5 May with a deadline for comments of 5 June. There will be a series of public exhibitions and meetings to explain the options. Further details are available on the Business Case Consultation page.