Builders battle through snow as £15m Spen Valley Leisure Centre takes shape

After the Christmas break, Kier resumed work on the £15m build with every type of weather from heavy snow to Storm Christoph testing everyone’s grit.

Progress has been made with areas of the curtain walling and the brick retaining wall and ramp wall almost complete.

Now that both the learner pool and the main pool have passed their leak tests, preparation works are underway for the tiling to commence.

Floor slabs are being poured around the tanks and should be complete in the next couple of weeks.

The outdoor plant room is almost complete and waiting for the installation of the plant.

The next few weeks of the build will see the mechanical and electrical first fix installation get underway, with progress on the curtain walling continuing. Let’s hope the weather starts to be a little kinder.

Set to open in winter 2021, the Spen Valley Leisure Centre has been designed to be a modern and flexible activity hub for the whole community.

The centre will be part of the wider Spenborough fitness complex, including the separate pavilion and athletics track.

Leader of Kirklees Council, Coun Shabir Pandor said: “This is a major capital development project that I believe will really transform the leisure offer for residents of all ages in the Spen Valley and provide economic benefit to north Kirklees.

“We are committed to supporting the health and wellbeing of everyone in Kirklees and I hope this new centre, when it opens, will both inspire and motivate all local residents to make full use of the fantastic facilities.”

The Spen Valley Leisure Centre facilities will include: an eight lane, 25 metre main pool; a 20m x 10m activity pool with moveable floor; spectator seating in the pool areas; a large fitness suite; two fitness studios with flexibility for other use; and a cycling studio.

There will also be two changing villages which will include family cubicles, baby change and large team changing areas.