Our ambition is to deliver the leisure centre for the community by the end of 2024. We are following a tight schedule and so far we have acquired the land and award-winning leisure centre consultants, ReCreation, have been contracted to develop the detailed designs for the centre.
The design process will consider the latest lighting technologies to minimise light pollution and highways experts will contribute to any traffic management designs. We have biodiversity experts supporting us to ensure that the areas surrounding the new centre are attractive for wildlife and plants.
Once we have the designs we will share these with residents across the district and invite feedback so that TogetherWe agree the best facility for the community.
A website with answers to all of our latest Frequently Asked Questions is now available so please check this out to see if your query has a response already.
www.activelichfield.co.uk/stychbrookpark
We are here to listen, support and to keep you updated about progress of the new building.
Stychbrook Park
We will be asking for your feedback on the detailed designs when we receive them as this is an important community facility and we want to know your thoughts before we commit to the final build.
Throughout the build process we are here to listen and answer your questions. We will be holding local presentations and drop-in sessions so you can meet our project officers face to face. If you would like us to keep you updated and to invite you to events please visit https://bit.ly/stychbrooklocal and complete the short form. Your details will never be passed onto any other third party and we will only communicate with you about the Stychbrook Park development.
PROGRESS UPDATE
2023
If you ever have any questions, you can email stychbrooklc@lichfielddc.gov.uk and we will respond within 48 business working hours. For anything urgent you can call 01543 308000
Summer
Why are you building a new leisure facility?
We know that exercise, moving more and keeping fit is important at all ages. We are committed to investing in leisure activities for all age groups so that people can move more to stay healthy. We need to replace the ageing Friary Grange Leisure Centre and give residents a safe, exciting community facility.
What are you building?
Lichfield District Council has been working with leisure centre provider ReCreation to help design a multi-functional leisure facility that will feature a 25m x 6 lane swimming pool, fitness and dance studio, spin studio, football pitch and changing facilities. ReCreation is passionate about providing futureproof leisure facilities and will be working to produce detailed, innovative designs for these important facilities for Lichfield District.
Why Stychbrook Park?
An in-depth review was undertaken into all suitably sized and undeveloped sites in and around Lichfield City and identified eight potential sites for the proposed new Lichfield Leisure Centre.
The sites considered were:
· Birmingham Road Site · Stychbrook Park
· Stowe Fields · Shortbutts Park · Saddlers Wood
· Leomansley Park (A51 football pitches)
· Darnford Park · Beacon Park
Of the eight sites, Stychbrook Park was identified as the preferred site for the new leisure centre. The selection of Stychbrook Park was approved by the Leisure Centre Task Group at the meeting of 14 September 2020 and by the Leisure, Parks, and Waste Management (Overview and Scrutiny) Committee at their meeting of 23 September 2020, who supported the proposal based on:
• It being close to the current Friary Grange Leisure Centre – making it easier to transfer from the old site into the new and continue to provide leisure facilities for local people; some of whom live in the more deprived areas in the district – supporting work to reduce health inequalities.
• The site has history as a sports and recreational location.
• At 3.47 Hectares, it is a large site – lessening the impact on surrounding housing. The new centre aligns well with the existing outdoor pitches provision, giving the potential for a “sports campus” destination.
• It’s location adjacent to A5129, aiding access.
• The site is well served by local public transport links.
Who are ReCreation?
ReCreation was founded in 2005 by Olympic swimmers, Steve Parry MBE and Becky Adlington OBE. Their mission is to provide modern community leisure centres with swimming pools at their heart. ReCreation use the latest, innovative methods of design and construction to develop energy-efficient and minimally polluting facilities - for the recreation of local people but never at the expense of the local environment.
• The ecological impact on this site was less than that than in other open space options considered.
• As public open space incorporating playing pitches, planning constraints makes it extremely unlikely the site could ever be redeveloped for non-sports / non-recreational purposes.
• It was the only site where assessments did not identify a significant issue or risk with the development of a leisure centre.
Alternative sites that were considered with the reasons why they weren’t selected.
Birmingham Road • Conservation Area
• Nearby heritage buildings • Not suitable size –location of site would restrict construction • Location of the site would limit additional opportunities for the city centre masterplan to be delivered.
Stowe Fields • Flood risk • Conservation Area
• Not a suitable size - leisure centre would take up most of open space.
Shortbutts Park • Poor vehicle access • Restricted visibility • Tree loss • Loss of public open space.
Saddlers Wood • Not suitable size – would lose more than half the non-wooded site • Nearby woodland would create operational challenges.
Leomansley Park (A51 football pitches)
• Green Belt area
Darnford Park • Poor vehicle access
• Significant tree loss • Site layout would push construction too close to housing.
Beacon Park • Green Belt area • Historic flagship park.
What impact will there be on local residents?
We will work hard to minimise the disruption to local residents. We will be sharing key information and updates via email where people have opted in to receive them. We will also be sharing key updates in local printed publications, online newspapers, in our social media pages and via our resident and business newsletters.
We are here to listen, support and to keep you updated about progress of the new building. If you ever have any questions, you can email stychbrooklc@lichfielddc.gov.uk and we will respond within 48 business working hours.
For anything urgent you can call 01543 308000 The website at www.activelichfield.co.uk/ stychbrookpark will have the latest information updated as soon as it is available.
“Whether as a training ground for the next generation of Olympians, or as a community hub in which to stay physically and mentally in superb health, all of us at ReCreation are thrilled to be developing this new leisure centre for the people of Lichfield.”
Becky Adlington OBE
