“This is a wonderful new facility for the people of Bingham and Rushcliffe at a time investment in our growing communities is so important,” said councillor Simon Robinson, leader of Rushcliffe Borough Council about the £13m venue in Nottinghamshire. Replacing the existing Bingham Leisure Centre, the 5,500sq m leisure centre is managed by Parkwood Leisure’s partners, Lex Leisure and includes a new 25m six lane swimming pool, a teaching pool and therapy suite, an 80-station gym, group cycling studio, and two exercise studios and a café. It is the first facility locally to be able to accommodate significant swimming galas, competitions and events, thanks to a 330- seater swimming pool spectating area, presenting new opportunities with swim instructors qualified to Swim England standard. The new development supports the needs of the expanding town. Bingham has experienced and is set to continue to experience significant growth in housing over the next 10 years. The Bingham Growth Board - a partnership between the Borough Council, Town Council, Nottinghamshire County Council, local business groups and other stakeholders – is working to adapt the town’s development in line with its increasing population. The new leisure centre therefore forms part of a wider community development, which includes a community hall and an adjacent office building. It is designed to meet Bingham Growth Board’s aspirations for the site to act as a key gateway between the current town centre and the growth of its housing developments to the north, thus helping to strengthen the local economy and the town centre.

carbon clever development

Following the council’s Carbon Clever priorities, the two-storey leisure centre has a 78 per cent carbon emission reduction compared to other leisure centres in the borough, while the office space will be 82 per cent more efficient than similar office developments. “It’s vital we set an example for others to follow in investing in new infrastructure in the right way,” said councillor Robinson. The leisure centre includes a 25m Myrtha Pool, which utilises a steel-frame rather than a traditional concrete solution. This design feature alone reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 45 per cent. The pool will also have added strength and resistance to chemicals and corrosives needed in a pool environment due to its chromium-rich alloy, which in turn will offer a longer life span. To ensure the building remains sustainable when in use, contractors Willmott Dixon carried out a low-carbon technologies assessment to provide assurance that the chosen design included the most suitable renewable energy sources. Technologies used in the development include air source heat pumps, air conditioning, LED lighting, solar panels, water reduction methods and Electric Vehicle charging points in line with the authority’s environmental priority. The Willmott Dixon team will also use its Energy Synergy service to track in-use energy performance against design to make sure the facility operates at peak efficiency. This will ensure the facility achieves Rushcliffe Borough Council’s energy efficiency goals and supports their ambitions of becoming carbon neutral by 2030.

community hub

Known as Bingham Jubilee Community Hall in honour of the late Queen Elizabeth II’s reign, the new community venue features a stage and space for audiences up to 300 people, dedicated changing facilities, a control room, kitchen and storage. The hall has been part-funded from the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership with support from Bingham Town Council. The adjacent Bingham Enterprise Centre provides 12 self-contained office lets for small and growing businesses over two floors along with a breakout area, meeting room and shared working space. Ranging in size from 47sq m to 108sq m, the council has secured 11 of the 12 tenants in less than two months of opening. “We completed research prior that found there was a big demand for businesses who wanted to stay in the town so the 12 new office spaces on site will help to retain local talent,” says councillor Robinson. These local businesses tenants range from an IT provider and architects to a tech and software developer and social media consultants. The project received £1.675m of funding from the England European Regional Development Fund as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020. Established by the European Union, the European Regional Development Fund helps local areas stimulate their economic development by investing in projects which will support innovation, businesses, create jobs and local community regeneration. The Enterprise Centre also received Local Growth Funding from the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership. “Bingham Arena is a wonderful new venue that provides contemporary facilities the local community can be proud of at the heart of one of our growing towns,” said councillor Robinson.

www.leisurecentre.com/bingham-arena

www.willmottdixon.co.uk