Sedbergh Sports and Leisure Centre

The new Sedbergh Sports and Leisure Centre, in the Odsal district of Bradford, is part of an ongoing investment programme by the council to replace outdated leisure facilities, with modern and purpose-built amenities to better serve local communities and encourage more people to get involved with sport. The leisure centre will feature a 25m swimming pool, 8-court sports hall, 80-station fitness suite, dance studios, café and outdoor pitches to encourage greater participation in sports.

The two-storey structural steel framed building provided by Billington Structures also has a 12m learner pool with a moveable floor, to help younger or less able swimmers to enter the water more safely. Billington Structures used a number of mobile cranes as part of the steel erection, and the largest steel elements were the 45m-long trusses that span the sports hall.

The rectangular-shaped building is arranged with the two long span areas, with a sports hall and a pool hall at either end. These two zones are both single-storey elements, and are separated by a two-storey spine that also extends along the front elevation. The two-storey area accommodates wet and dry changing facilities, with the gym and dance studios on the upper floor.

Designed to complement its surroundings on the Sedbergh Playing Fields site, the 5,100m² building features a large expanse of glazing to its façade, with solar shading panels and timber cladding elements, as well as a striking aluminium roof design that wraps around the structure.

In addition to the Leisure Centre, extensive groundworks was also carried out by ISG Construction, which included digging up 50,000m³ of earth and then distributing it around the site. The plot was previously used as sports fields that were poorly drained and frequently waterlogged. A new drainage system was installed across the site and the terrain was altered to create flat sports pitches. All of the excavated material remained on site, and much of it has been relocated to the opposite end of the site to raise the plot’s lowest level.

This investment demonstrates the importance that Bradford District Council places on fitness and well-being across the region. It is hopes that in addition to increasing participation in sports, the new leisure centre will act as a hub for the local community.