Council submits £42m leisure centre plan
The proposed leisure centre is expected to cost £42m and will provide a range of facilities for the local community, including a swimming pool and gym.
A FULL planning application has been lodged for a new multi-million leisure centre in Strabane, marking another significant milestone for the long-awaited facility.
The £42m Strabane Strategic Leisure Centre forms part of the wider £115m Canal Basin regeneration investment plans for the town.
Currently targeted to open in 2030, the new centre will feature an array of modern features including an eight-lane swimming pool, fitness studio gym, yoga studio, wellness spa and squash courts.
According to the plan, Derry City and Strabane District Council is seeking planning approval for the ‘construction of a new leisure centre comprising a 25m swimming pool, training pool, leisure water area with viewing gallery, wellness spa and health suite, fitness suite, spin studio, yoga studio, multi-purpose studios, squash court, café, changing facilities (including Changing Places provision), staff accommodation, plant areas and a rooftop plant compound.’
The development also includes the realignment of Canal Link and associated alterations to the existing road network, footways and pedestrian crossings, reconfiguration of existing car parking, provision of 46 car parking spaces (including accessible and electric vehicle charging spaces), drop-off and loading areas, site clearance, hard and soft landscaping, drainage infrastructure and associated site works.
Strabane Sinn Féin councillor, Brian ‘Barney’ Harte, welcomed the news.
“The progression to full planning stage represents a major milestone in the delivery of new Strabane Leisure Centre which will provide state-of-art facilities in a capital investment of £42m as part of a wider £115m investment in town centre regeneration projects as part of the City Deal,” he said.
“The final design being submitted for full planning has been shaped by submissions made by the public and user groups in the extensive consultation carried out by the Design Team appointed to take the new leisure centre through from conception to the construction phase.”
“Facilities and enhancements in the new Leisure Centre design include: an eight lane 25m main pool, separate leisure/teaching pool, junior water recreation/play area and toddler pool, accessible café (overlooking Canal Basin), parents’ pool viewing area (poolside), wellness spa, large flexible multi-use studios, conference facilities and meeting rooms, dedicated spin studio, a state-of-the-art fitness suite, wet and dry changing villages and double squash court.”
He added: “We will continue working to ensure this long-awaited project moves swiftly through planning toward construction.”
Also commenting on the progressing of the project to the planning stage, the party’s West Tyrone MLA., Paul Boggs, said: “This represents a major step forward in bringing the state-of-the-art new build leisure centre to fruition.
“As the largest grouping on council, Sinn Féin took the strategic decision to ensure this landmark investment could be delivered, by working to ringfence the necessary capital funding to support our district's City Deal delivery.
“As a representative who lobbied on behalf of the Riverside Otters Swimming Club, I am delighted that the final design for full planning incorporates am eight lane 25m long pool which will allow for not only increase training capacity, but it would also allow them to hold the occasional ‘local gala’ with visiting clubs in attendance.”
The leisure centre forms an integral part of the wider Strabane Town Centre Regeneration Project being developed as part of the Derry~Londonderry Strabane City Deal and IFF programme aimed at transforming and reimagining the Canal Basin site in the centre of Strabane through the integration of health, education, leisure and active travel with the development of a new health hub, North West Regional College (NWRC) campus and pedestrian bridge.
The project is a partnership being led by DCSDC, the Western Health and Social Care Trust, NWRC and the Department for Infrastructure (DfI).
The application will come before a future meeting of council’s Planning Committee.