Winchester Sport and Leisure Park
Leisure centre and sports stadium users and local residents are being encouraged to take part in the next round of engagement sessions on the development of a new Sport and Leisure Park in Winchester.
Architects yesterday (Monday 17 July) updated Winchester City Council’s Cabinet (Leisure Centre) Committee about the feedback they’ve received from around 240 people who attended events and from over 500 completed online and hard copy surveys. Feedback covered the appropriateness of the site at Bar End, proposed facilities, community life and other issues such as parking for local residents and users of the proposed site.
The meeting heard that respondents were largely in support of the Winchester Sport and Leisure Park proposals and concept at Bar End with 90% of respondents either strongly agreeing (74%) or agreeing (16%) to the creation of a multi-use Sports and Leisure Centre on the site. 97% of respondents either strongly agreed (71%) or agreed (26%) that the Sports and Leisure Park has the potential to be an important community hub for residents and sporting organisations.
The next stage of engagement taking place during July will cover the emerging design framework (how the site might look) that has been influenced by the feedback to date. Events are being held on:
- Friday 21 July 3.00pm – 7.00pm Guildhall Winchester
- Saturday 22 July 10.00am – 4.00pm Winchester Sports Stadium
- Tuesday 25 July 3.00pm – 8.00pm Guildhall Winchester
Councillor Griffiths, Portfolio Holder for Health & Wellbeing, and Cabinet (Leisure Centre) Committee Chair said:
“This is an exciting project and Winchester deserves top class sporting and leisure facilities for the community and surrounding area. We want to make this a reality but first we need to hear from people of all ages, interests and abilities to ensure we create facilities that suit their needs and that fit with Winchester.”
Further engagement and consultation is planned in early autumn 2017. Subject to planning it is hoped construction will begin in late 2018/early 2019 with completion of the build in 2020.