East Cambridgeshire District Council

Artist's impressions and concept drawings of the new leisure complex for the whole of  East Cambridgeshire have been unveiled.

The ideas of what the environmentally friendly and sustainable building may look like includes proposals for:

• a 25m six lane swimming pool
• a learner pool
• small children's leisure water area
• a six court sports hall
• two squash courts
• multi purpose rooms including a dance studio
• a fitness gym for 100 pieces of equipment
• a transport hub as well as provision for car and cycle parking
• an underpass linking the site with Ely

A public exhibition is proposed for the near future to show people how the initial concepts have developed ahead of a full planning application being submitted later in the year.

Cllr Peter Cresswell,Chairman of the Community Services Committee, at East Cambridgeshire District Council, said: "I, along with my colleagues, were genuinely excited to see the initial ideas which the architects have for a leisure complex for the whole of East Cambridgeshire. Their drawings bring to life a concept which I know will have a positive legacy for the District - providing facilities which can be used by people of all ages and abilities.

"There are a few who still ask why we are looking to build a leisure facility on the outskirts of Ely rather than on the current site at the Paradise Centre. I think it is obvious to anyone who looks at the scale and size of the ideas which are being put forward that it is simply not practical. We want to build something which can serve a range of sports on one site which can be easily accessed by everyone - no matter where they live. It can also be delivered seamlessly with the closure of the existing facilities. I know none of us would want to have a week without a proper leisure complex let alone the time it would take to demolish and rebuild the Paradise Centre.

"Despite the excitement of these initial concepts, we must remember there is still a lot of work to do before a centre can be opened. We have to find the funding, go through public exhibition as well as submit a full planning application which of course will be open to full public scrutiny. However these drawings have a unique value - they can inspire. They show us that East Cambridgeshire can have facilities which would be the envy of other regions, purpose built for the benefit of all our residents and generations to come."

ENDS

Notes for editors:

Political contacts: Cllr Peter Cresswell (Con) 01638 661138, Cllr Pauline Wilson (Lib Dem) 01353 740617 and Cllr Derrick Beckett (Ind) 01638 780476.

For further information contact Tony Taylorson in the Communications Team on 01223 699285.

File attachments:

Artist's Impressions and Concept Drawings of New Leisure Complex

leisurecentre.pdf 918.05 KB