Rushcliffe Borough Council’s (RBC) £5.2 million investment in refurbishments and energy-efficient improvements at local leisure centres is progressing, with Cotgrave Leisure Centre welcoming newly opened facilities.
The centre has already benefited from the addition of a Changing Places toilet, wider corridors, and the provision of two enhanced dedicated studios for group exercise and spin classes, which opened in December. Phase two has now been completed, with fully refurbished poolside changing rooms open to the public.
RBC’s Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Wellbeing, ICT, and Member Development, Cllr Jonathan Wheeler, said: “The improvements are on track and receiving very positive feedback from leisure centre users.
“Works have now moved to the reception area, which will be reconfigured to provide an enhanced layout, new toilets, and an improved reception desk. In this phase, the sports hall is also receiving a full makeover, with brand-new professional sports hall flooring and fresh paint.
“Alongside the refurbishment, the centre has received a new low-carbon air source heat pump unit, The Net Zero Pod, which will deliver an innovative and pioneering application of heat pump and green technology, along with solar panels on the roof.
“Once fully connected and turned on later this month, the new plant room will use electricity from renewable sources to efficiently draw heat from the air and transfer it into the swimming pool and surrounding areas, resulting in 250% to 300% energy efficiency.
“The solar panels are already producing electricity and are predicted to generate up to 55,000 kWh of electricity a year, saving up to £25,000 on running costs—the equivalent of powering 20 homes—and achieving an annual saving of 300 tonnes of CO2e.”
The decarbonisation of Cotgrave Leisure Centre is part-funded with £1.2 million from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero’s Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme and forms part of RBC’s £5.2 million investment in Cotgrave and Keyworth leisure centres.
The solar panels are funded by the Government’s Department for Culture, Media, and Sport through their Swimming Pool Support Fund, administered by Sport England.
The leisure centre is also benefiting from £110,000 in funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund for refurbishments.
The Changing Places toilet at Cotgrave Leisure Centre was supported by a £50,000 grant from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing, and Communities (DLUHC).
The ambitious scheme is being delivered by Leisure Energy as the principal contractor, leading on decarbonisation, alongside their appointed sub-contractor, JRD Design and Build, who are leading on the refurbishment.
TSA Riley is providing RBC with project management and cost management services.
The centre is operated by RBC’s leisure provider, Lex Leisure, who are working closely with users to communicate changes.
Cllr Wheeler added: “In total, we’re investing £5.2 million in these refurbishments and energy-efficient upgrades at Cotgrave and Keyworth leisure centres, which will enhance the quality and sustainability of the facilities for the community for future generations.
“The completed parts of the centre are looking superb, and the technology installed is a great carbon-clever example of how we are helping to reduce CO2 emissions. This will go a long way towards achieving our environmental goals to operate as a carbon-neutral council by 2030.
“Once works are completed at Cotgrave this spring, our contractors will move to Keyworth to carry out an equally ambitious full refurbishment of that centre over the summer.”
• New homes approved on farmland near Nottinghamshire village
