04 Apr 2019
£16m Andover Leisure Centre opens its doors
BY Tom Walker
The £16m Andover Leisure Centre has opened its doors to the public, after more than two years in the works.
Facilities at the centre include a 25m six-lane swimming pool with 15m learner pool, 165-station fitness suite, virtual cycling studio, dance studios, an eight-court sports hall, squash courts, adventure play and café.
The venue is owned by Test Valley Borough Council and operated by Places Leisure, which secured a 30-year contract to manage the council's leisure sites in 2016.
Places Leisure and the council worked with architects Roberts Limbrick, building partner Pellikaan Construction and projects agent Press & Starkey on the new centre.
The new facility replaces an old, ageing leisure centre on the site.
Places Leisure’s capital projects director Martin Anderson said: “Together with the council and project team we have designed an inclusive leisure destination.
"We are looking forward to complementing it with a diverse range of activities and programmes, designed to get our whole community active.
"The new facilities will provide the community of Andover with the perfect setting to have fun, socialise and take part in physical activity.”
Bastin Bloomfield, of Roberts Limbrick, added: “It was always going to be a challenge to achieve this high-quality facility in the centre of Andover, but it was a challenge which we all relished.
"We had to consider many things such as access roads, the height of the swimming pool from the street and the impact a structure such as this would have on its surrounding environment.
“We specialise in leisure and this is definitely one of the finest builds we have ever worked on. What made this possible is the teamwork between Places Leisure, Pellikaan Construction and Test Valley Borough Council.
“Looking at it now, we are all very pleased with how the build has gone and how it now looks.
"Every single detail has been carefully considered, including some internal improvements following public consultation, and we are very excited for Test Valley residents to come and enjoy it.”
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