Andover Leisure Centre FAQs
All you need to know about the Andover Leisure Centre
At a time of budget cuts and austerity elsewhere, we are investing over £16 m in a major project as part of the Borough Council’s long term plans for the future vitality and benefit of the town.
We understand people are concerned about the disruption to their sport and leisure activities whilst the new Andover Leisure Centre is being built but we are doing everything we possibly can to minimise this. This includes ensuring that the centre will not be closed completely, phasing the different aspects of the building programme, displacing activities to neighbouring facilities where possible and providing temporary swimming provision.
During the public exhibition of the new Andover Leisure Centre on 15 February 2017, Test Valley Borough Council and Places for People Leisure asked for comments, questions and feedback from residents and users of the facilities.
These have been combined into a frequently asked questions and answers section which you can read here.
If your question is not answered within this section, please contact us here. This Q&A will be regularly updated and we are already working with Places for People Leisure to provide answers to questions around studio programmes, opening hours and the provision of squash courts.
Additional information
We will publish opening and closing times of sporting and leisure facilities across the borough as building work progresses. Further details of what impact this will have on the public during construction will be confirmed in the coming weeks and as part of the planning application process.
Andover Leisure Centre
Andover Leisure Centre will not be closed completely. The gyms, studios, squash courts and treatment rooms will remain open throughout.
1 April – Closure of the swimming pool
7 May – Closure of the Sports Hall.
Spring 2019 – Scheduled re-opening of the new Leisure Centre, followed by complete demolition of the remaining part of the centre, containing the gyms, studios, squash courts and café, as well as landscaping.
Dates for the commencement of improvements to other leisure facilities in Test Valley Borough will follow in due course.
Planning application
The planning application for the redevelopment of Andover Leisure Centre was submitted to the Council on 20 December 2016 and is available for public comment on our website. The planning application documents include consultation responses and drawings of the architect’s plans. Comments can be made on the planning application up until the date that a decision is made. All planning issues raised in comments received before a decision is made will be taken into account when making that decision. The planning application will be heard by the Council’s Northern Area Planning Committee on 30 March 2017.
The planning application can be found here.
Temporary Pool
We have confirmed that we will provide temporary swimming facilities while the new Andover Leisure Centre is being built.
On 24 February 2017, borough councillors voted to arrange temporary facilities while the existing pool is closed. Timings will be published in due course.
Community and Leisure Portfolio Holder, Councillor Tony Ward, said: “We have been investigating the options for temporary swimming facilities since we announced the preferred contract bidder in November. We have listened to concerns from residents and acknowledge that the closure of the swimming pool will affect many groups, clubs and individuals. A planning application has been submitted to erect a temporary pool at Shepherds Spring Lane car park, and we are continuing to examine alternative options as well. If no viable alternative options are identified by the time a planning decision on the temporary pool is made, and if that decision is favourable, the Council will proceed with the temporary pool.”
The planning application can be found here.
The Council’s Northern Area Planning Committee will consider the application on 27 April 2017.
We will be listing alternative options for the various sports and leisure facilities in the coming weeks.
For further information
Places for People Leisure www.placesforpeopleleisure.org
Previous news releases www.testvalley.gov.uk/news