NEWS
IN BRIEF CONSTRUCTION BEGINS ON £12M DROITWICH REFURBISHMENT PROJECT Work has officially started this autumn on the £12.7m redevelopment of Droitwich Spa Leisure Centre that Alliance Leisure are delivering for Wychavon District Council. Following the completion of initial enabling works, the main project is now underway. Designed by Watson Batty Architects and implemented by main contractor Speller Metcalfe, the redevelopment promises a major transformation of the much-loved community facility. Amongst many improvements, the upgraded centre will feature a brand-new 8x12m learner pool, housed within a modern extension that will allow a full programme of swimming lessons to run without impacting the main pool’s timetable, helping residents of all ages to develop swimming as a vital life skill.
OPENING DATE CONFIRMED FOR SWINDON’S HISTORIC HEALTH HYDRO Swindon Borough Council and GLL are delighted to announce that the Swindon’s historic Health Hydro facility will reopen on Monday 19 January 2026. The Victorian-era facility has been closed while the first phase of major refurbishment was carried out. The restoration project has delivered a range of improvements, some of which include new changing rooms, enhanced energy efficiency, and new plant areas and equipment to support the building long-term. As is common with projects in Grade II* listed buildings, detailed early investigations highlighted challenges that required careful redesign to protect the Health Hydro’s heritage. Extensive safe removal of asbestos was also completed as part of the work, ensuring the building is ready for future phases of restoration and continued community use.
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Much Awaited ‘Woolwich Waves’ To Open On New Year’s Day Woolwich Waves Leisure Centre will open its doors to the public on New Year’s Day in the heart of Woolwich Town Centre. Charitable social enterprise GLL will operate the flagship facility in partnership with Royal Borough of Greenwich – and under its ‘Better’ brand. Featuring three pools, water slides, a toddler splash zone, a health suite with spa, sauna and therapy rooms, plus much more, customers of all ages will be able to make use of the state-of-theart facilities to boost their health and wellbeing. At the official handover ceremony on 2 December, Peter Bundey, GLL Chief Executive,
said: “GLL are delighted to continue our long-standing partnership with the Royal Borough of Greenwich by operating the new Woolwich Waves. “The new leisure centre is truly state-of-the-art and is already creating significant community interest. This iconic facility is much more than a fitting replacement of the popular Waterfront Leisure Centre; it is a proud civic statement. “As a charitable social enterprise and worker-owned co-op we welcome the chance to also use Woolwich Waves to widen and deepen employment and social opportunity for
local people.” Cllr Anthony Okereke, Leader of the Royal Borough of Greenwich, said: “The start of 2026 will see the moment thousands of residents have been waiting for as they will be able to experience for the first time the leisure centre they helped to name. “It’s not just an exemplar leisure centre any city would be proud to have which is aiming for the highest sustainability measures.” Rooftop solar panels are expected to generate 250,000 kWh per year – providing heat to the building which replaces the much-loved Waterfront Leisure Centre which will now close.
Build On Site Option From Heatstar Helps To Overcome Access Problems During the specification of a new environmental control system, Heatstar leave no stone unturned, ensuring the perfect solution no matter how complex the project. Where Heatstar really come into their own is when the project at hand is not as straightforward as it seems, such as an application where access to the plant room is restricted. Heatstar have built an excellent reputation for coming up with the ideal solution when an installation such as this occurs. Their units can be manufactured with many different types of orientation to ensure a best fit. The physical structure of the Heatstar unit can be altered to a horizontal construction or built in sections when plant room space or access is limited. If this doesn’t solve the problem then the unit can be weatherproofed and located externally. The company also offer a build on site service as an alternative, yet cost effective solution, whereby the Heatstar
unit is disassembled on site, manoeuvred past any challenging access points and then rebuilt in its final location. That means no major structural alterations to the fabric of the building, unnecessary road closures or expensive crane lifts. All on-site disassembling and rebuild services are performed by fully trained and highly skilled Heatstar engineers ready for final connections to pipework, ductwork and electrical supply. At this stage the end user should take advantage of a free of charge commissioning visit from a Heatstar engineer who will carry out an in-depth and comprehensive inspection and appraisal of the installed system. A built on site unit from Heatstar stands as a testament to the company’s ever-evolving commitment to offering the trade a solution to suit even the trickiest installations with minimal on site disruption. Heatstar 01983 521465 www.heatstar.com
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