£30m state of the art Huddersfield leisure centre complete

AHR, one of Europe’s longest standing architects, has just completed work on a new 12,500m², £30m leisure centre in the heart of Huddersfield.

With a range of wet and dry sporting facilities, the new Huddersfield Leisure Centre is a sporting venue designed to address the modern day needs of a multi-cultural society.

As well as providing high specification facility for national, local and community users, the purpose built centre includes a twenty five metre national short course competition pool, a trainer/studio pool with a movable floor, which is able to be fully screened for sensitive groups, a leisure pool with interactive water features, water flume and sidewinder, squash courts, a 15m climbing wall, bouldering wall, twelve court sports halls, large gym, fitness studios, cycle studio and combat room.

The centre also features meeting rooms, offices, changing facilities and a large kitchen servery and café.

The design process included a series of extensive engagements with the building operators, the local community, existing sports clubs and national sporting bodies.

Community artist Stella Corrall was hired to produce bespoke artwork for the main reception foyer and café. AHR’s in-house team developed an interior design concept seen as energetic and vibrant, which is evident throughout the centre by the display of wall graphics and a fresh, lively colour palette.

Additionally, the facility meets all requirements for disabled use and is one of the most accessible leisure facilities in the country. It is able to cater for the wide demographic base of the region including minority female swimming groups.

The centre will be a sustainable asset, an environmentally low impact solution based on a socially driven and economically sustainable brief close to public transport hubs.

The prominent town centre location, strategic positioning and high quality design of the building ensure that it contributes to the urban and social regeneration of Huddersfield.

Sue Eyre, project architect at AHR, said: “The new leisure centre for Huddersfield has been designed as a direct response to the clients’ requirements for a wide range of sporting activities to suit a modern multicultural society, and to meet the need for a prominent civic building which would enhance and contribute to the town centre”.

Hazel Francis, general manager of Kirklees Active Leisure, added: “KAL are delighted with the new Leisure Centre, which has been very well received by KAL’s customers, as well as by the staff working in the building. The Leisure Centre is, without doubt, the finest leisure facility in West Yorkshire and one of the best in the UK. It’s great to see new customers, who have never visited a leisure facility before, coming in to see what we can offer to improve their health and wellbeing. The open layout and top quality facilities are certainly encouraging people to come in to visit and to then become that bit more active, which is great.”

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