South Holland District Council has bolstered its successful £20 million UK Government, Levelling Up Fund bid with a £6 million investment to see the Castle Sports Complex in Spalding transformed into a health and wellbeing hub to drive positive health outcomes for residents across the district.

Alliance Leisure has been appointed to deliver the works through the UK Leisure Framework, owned by Denbighshire Leisure Limited (DLL).

Works are expected to begin in the Autumn and will see the Castle Sports Complex completely remodelled and extended to include an integral swimming provision. A 6-lane 25 metre pool will be supported by a second, 20m teaching pool that will individuals, groups, clubs and local schools giving young people access to the facilities they need to develop essential swim skills. Outside, a splash pad will also be added to accommodate families and young children. These facilities will replace the current provision offered by Spalding Swimming Pool.

The new wellbeing hub will also host a sports hall, gym, family activity zone, a fully equipped fitness suite, indoor cycling and fitness studios, a dedicated wellness suite offering power assisted exercise and a health and wellbeing space for appointments with health practitioners, including services to support good mental health and those living with diabetes, Alzheimer’s and dementia. A café and lounge area will also provide a much-needed place for people to eat and drink as well as meet friends and socialise. The Centre’s current Bowls Hall will receive some much-needed maintenance as part of the redevelopment.

Outside, a 3G artificial turn floodlight football pitch will be supported by a separate multi-use games arena hosting an array of sports including basketball and football, with a dedicated track meandering through the site suitable for walkers, runners or cyclists . Car parking will be extended to accommodate the anticipated uplift in usage and extensive landscaping will take place throughout, enhancing the visual appeal.

Councillor Gary Taylor, South Holland District Council deputy leader and the council’s project sponsor, said: “The success of this bid is a momentous moment for the whole of South Holland, and provides vital funding that will be truly transformational to help improve the health and lives of our residents.

“The new Hub will place physical activity at the heart of our community, supporting healthy, active lives. Coupling this significant investment with the design and delivery expertise of best-in-class providers brought together by Alliance Leisure through the UK leisure Framework, we have the opportunity to create an incredible facility that caters for everyone at all stages of their life for many years to come.”

Talking about the development, Sean Nolan, Business Development Manager, Alliance Leisure, says: “Transformational investment like this only happens once in a lifetime so it is absolutely imperative that we get it right. Working with our trusted, leisure specialist partners including Hadron Consulting, Saunders Boston Architects, Wilmott Dixon and Max Associates. The team have been involved from the start, supporting the council’s LUF bid and preparing the designs. We will now continue to work with the council to deliver the build. When the development completes in 2026, residents in South Holland will have access to an incredible wellbeing and activity hub, created in direct response to the needs of the community, driving a healthier, happier and more active community.”

Works are due to start in late 2024 and will complete in the summer of 2026. For more information about the build and its development visit: southhollandlevellingup.co.uk. For more information about Alliance Leisure visit: allianceleisure.co.uk

Working in close partnership with a number of specialist providers, Alliance Leisure were appointed by East Renfrewshire Council to transform a low occupancy martial arts studio into a high energy functional training arena. The space, branded The Grid, will be used for individual and group training and will enhance the current fitness offering for the community.

The council worked with Alliance Leisure who, through the UK Leisure Framework which is managed by Denbighshire Leisure Ltd (DLL), assembled a best-in-class team of leisure specialists to execute the vision. The transformation was completed in just 4 weeks and will be operated by East Renfrewshire Leisure and Culture Trust.

Jo Cameron, Delivery Manager, Alliance Leisure, explains: “As our first project with East Renfrewshire Council, this was an exciting opportunity showing the potential of transforming underutilised space into a thriving activity hub that would deliver significant value to the local community.

“We are looking forward to supporting the launch of this project and the growth in membership over the coming period.

“Through the UK Leisure Framework we have worked with our expert leisure contractor Thomas Johnstone Ltd supported by Axiom Project Services and CD Architects to create an innovative fitness space for East Renfrewshire Cultural and Leisure Trust. We have also utilised our specialist leisure suppliers, Indigo Fitness, Pulse Fitness and Hutchison Technologies to enhance the experience for the members.

Robert Hammond, Head of Operations at East Renfrewshire Culture and Leisure, says: “Working with Alliance Leisure and the specialist partners to deliver our exciting new fitness space The Grid for Barrhead Foundry has been a great experience. From initially designing the space through to the delivery of the building works and fitout, this has been a smooth process and Alliance really looked at the finer details assisting with the fitness concept. The new training space will have a huge impact and provide a perfect work out environment for our customers and community.”

The extension of the fitness provision means Barrhead Foundry can expand its fitness membership and welcome additional revenue opportunities that will help ensure the sustainability of services moving forwards.

The new training space officially opened on April 18.

For more information about Alliance Leisure and the many other leisure development projects it has delivered, visit allianceleisure.co.uk

On Wednesday 13 March 2024, Councillors and Officers from Hyndburn Borough Council met with Alliance Leisure and members of the ISG construction team to celebrate the start of works on the new, state-of-the-art, leisure and sports complex on Wilson Playing Fields in Clayton-le-Moors.

Funded by Hyndburn Borough Council as part of the borough’s leisure transformation plans and developed by Alliance Leisure through the UK Leisure Framework, when complete, facilities will include a four-lane, 25 metre swimming pool, a fitness suite, sauna & steam room, group exercise studio, café, large changing village and dedicated changing facilities to service teams making use of the various outdoor sports facilities.

Speaking at the ceremony, Councillor Marlene Haworth, Leader of Hyndburn Borough Council, says: “It is very fitting that these significant development works fall in the 50th anniversary year for the dedication of Wilson Playing Fields, ensuring the location will remain at the heart of the community’s active leisure and wellbeing provision for many years to come.

“It’s fantastic to finally see a spade in the ground. This development reflects the council’s commitment to placing the health and wellbeing of our community at the heart of our ongoing strategy. In addition to creating new indoor active opportunities for everyone in the community, the building will add-value to the existing outdoor facilities to create a leisure hub like no other in the local vicinity.”

In addition to the many social, health and wellbeing benefits Wilson’s Sports Village will deliver to the community, the new building will also optimise energy efficiencies. Air source heat pumps, solar panels and the utilisation of the very latest Low and Zero Carbon Technologies will all support the council’s carbon reduction strategy and ambitions to achieve net zero.

Speaking of the development, Tom Gardner, Business Development Manager, Alliance Leisure, says: “We have assembled a brilliant team with vast experience in leisure development to deliver this project. Partners include; principal contractor ISG with lead design delivery by Pozzoni architects. Bradshaw, Gass & Hope will contribute the structural design requirements and CGP MEP the MEP design. Together we will build a facility that provides an energy efficient sporting hub for the community to enjoy for many generations.”

Works are being delivered through the UK Leisure Framework, owned by Denbighshire Leisure Limited (DLL), in full consultation with Hyndburn Borough Council, supported by Hyndburn Leisure and Sport England.

Works got underway in February 2024 with Wilson’s Sports Village expected to fully open to the public in the Spring of 2025.

Martin Bransby, Director, Pozzoni, says: “Pozzoni are absolutely delighted to be part of the design team delivering this new facility at Wilson Playing Fields. The centre will provide much needed high quality wet and dry sports facilities for the wider community. Every effort has been made to make this project as universally accessible as possible, and will be a showcase of how good design, tight planning and modest budget can achieve maximum impact for all users.

For more information about Alliance Leisure visit: allianceleisure.co.uk. For regular development updates, visit the Hyndburn Borough Council website, hyndburnbc.gov.uk.

Alliance Leisure has completed the refurbishment of two gym spaces at Sport Wales National Centre to enhance the workout experience at the home of Welsh sport, with more Sport Wales-funded projects underway, including the country’s first interactive squash court.

Working with Orbit 4, which redesigned the cardio and freeweights rooms, the £250,000 project at Sport Wales National Centre involved a complete overhaul of both spaces including the installation of new equipment, flooring and full redecoration throughout. The team worked with Sport Wales to ensure the layout of both spaces reflects the member journey and addresses the unique needs of their 800 members.

The creative team at Alliance Leisure’s marketing agency, TA6, also provided vibrant new graphics and branding for the space aligning to the Sport Wales brand.

Gillian Dunster, Alliance Leisure Business Development Manager, said: “This tailored and impactful project is already delivering benefits to members and is testament to the fact that enhancing member experiences doesn’t always require investments running to millions of pounds. By actively listening to customers and gaining a deep understanding of their needs, you can optimise spaces to serve members better to retain them for longer.”

Alliance Leisure is working on a number of other Sport Wales-funded projects. Part of more than £3m worth of funding, the projects will improve community sports facilities and leisure centres across Wales in the next few months. They include new floodlighting for 3G and 2G pitches at Ysgol Uwchradd Bodedern. Completing in March, the installation will allow the pitches to be used by local schools and the public outside of daylight hours.

A new sports hall floor at Holyhead Leisure Centre will ensure continued safe use for classes, clubs, competitions as well as the wider community when it completes in April. Finally, a PRAMA studio is planned for Prestatyn Leisure Centre for Denbighshire Leisure Ltd. Expected to start on site this summer, the immersive circuit training programme combines music, lighting, interactive walls and flooring to offer more than 2,500 unique workouts. The new studio will form part of a wider scheme that also includes a clip ‘n climb facility and the first interactive squash court in Wales offering immersive projection graphics and exciting video-game-style play to transform the game into a completely new sports experience.

This month sees the public opening of the new build football hub within the grounds of Derby Racecourse, an event that puts a new marker in the sand for development partner, Alliance Leisure, as the company’s 250th completed project since its launch 25 years ago.

The new £8.4 million building, designed and developed by Alliance Leisure on behalf of Derby City Council, includes a reception area, café, three multi-use rooms, a Changing Places toilet and additional washrooms. Outside, extra car parking spaces have been added to support an outdoor play area, outdoor gym, a basketball training court and general landscaping to enhance the overall aesthetics.

Creating a central hub for the dedicated football facility, the building linked to pre-existing changing facilities and will provide much needed community support for the 3 new, outdoor, full sized 3G turf pitches (FTPs), and a refurbished FTP developed through the Football Foundation pitch framework and will enable the hosting of hundreds of matches every weekend.

Speaking about the project, Will Gardner, Business Development Manager, Alliance Leisure, says: “This has been an incredible project. The community will now be able to enjoy playing and watching ‘the beautiful game’ year round.

“Built within the grounds of Derby Racecourse, we worked with some incredible partners on this project, delivered through the UK Leisure Framework, including architects Bradshaw, Gass and Hope, Universal Construction and Abacus Project Management to create a sports hub that will serve the community for many years to come.”

On Thursday, February 8 and Friday, February 9, operator, Leisure United, is opening the doors to the community, hosting facility tours, with refreshments provided in the Pavilion café. The following weekend – Saturday, February 10 and Sunday, February 11 will then host the first matches, marking the return of the Football Leagues.

Councillor Hardyal Dhindsa, Derby City Council’s Cabinet Member for Communities and Streetpride, said: “This project has been an excellent example of successful partnership working. Alliance Leisure, working through the UK Leisure Framework, has brought expertise to this development at every level and stage of the project to deliver a fantastic facility that integrates superbly with the existing building and the pitch works completed by the Football Foundation. Thanks to everyone’s efforts the community in Derby now has a football facility that will support the activity needs of many generations.”

Jointly funded by Derby City Council, The Premier League, The FA, and the Government's Football Foundation, this project showcases the value collaborative working can bring to the community sports infrastructure.

Sarah Watts, Founder and CEO of Alliance Leisure, adds: “This development embodies all that we set out to achieve when we launched Alliance Leisure 25 years ago. It creates a safe, place-based active environment where communities can come together to enjoy all the benefits of being active. In partnership with local authorities across the UK, Alliance has optimised more than £370 million to ensure public sector leisure continues to meet the bespoke needs of the communities it serves.”

An official opening of the football hub is planned later in the year.

“Having been involved in the delivery of this project from the very start, to now seen it realise its potential & its impact on the community has been a real pleasure. Delivering a build and facility of this quality & size shows the impact the UKLF can have for everyone. To now let the local residents enjoy all the hard work which has been put in by the management & delivery team is testament to the dedication we pride ourselves on in delivery.” – Martin Davies, Director of Universal Civils & Build

“This scheme is an excellent demonstration of positive collaboration and teamwork. From early inception the Alliance Leisure team and key stakeholders have all come together with the common goal of delivering a hub that will provide excellent facilities and also a community-based destination for local residents and the people of Derby.” – Paul Jackson, Director, Abacus

Alliance Leisure has made a raft of new appointments across the business to support its continued growth. The new appointments come as the leisure development specialist celebrates 25 years of transforming leisure provision across the UK.

Jonny Curley has been promoted to the Development Board as Director for Scotland. With more than 25 years in the sector, Jonny joined Alliance Leisure as Business Development Manager in 2022. Since then, he has driven the company’s leisure projects across Scotland, several of which start on site this year.

He said: “I was privileged to become part of the Alliance team two years ago and progressing to the board is a great honour. Alliance’s outstanding culture, team and leadership has been crucial to the company’s growth and I look forward to contributing to its continued progress in the years ahead.”

Alongside Jonny, Julia Goddard also becomes Regional Director after 22 years with the company having overseen 130 projects worth an investment value of £160m.

Stuart Thornton joins the company as Financial Director. A seasoned finance and commercial professional, Stuart has held a number of senior financial roles across a range of sectors most recently as Finance Director at the housebuilder Backhouse.

“I’m thrilled to be joining Alliance, a company that deservedly has a very strong and positive reputation in the industry. With a great culture and a strong team who have a track record of delivering exceptional results for clients, I know I will be working with the best in the business. I look forward to supporting them in the exciting times ahead,” said Thornton.

Jo Cameron also joins the team as Alliance Delivery Manager. The former Sales Team Manager at OneRen, the charitable trust providing leisure, culture and sporting opportunities in Renfrewshire, Jo has worked in both the private and public sectors. Based in Glasgow, she will support developments across Scotland in her new role.

And Steve Rose has been appointed as Alliance Delivery Manager serving the south east region. Steve, who has more than 15 years’ experience in and around the industry, has previously worked at Fusion Lifestyle, SIV and Sheffield City Council.

Paul Cluett, Managing Director of Alliance Leisure says: “I’m delighted to welcome these new members to the team. With a strong pipeline of projects across the UK, it’s an exciting time for Alliance Leisure as we celebrate our 25th anniversary. It’s imperative we have the right skills and expertise to service our continued growth. These appointments will help support our clients and the future success of the business.”