Willmott Dixon and Henry Riley announced as partners in new Bingham Arena project

The partners for the creation of Bingham’s new greener and carbon efficient leisure centre and community hub have been announced.

Leader of Rushcliffe Borough Council Simon Robinson said he was delighted to agree partnerships with Willmott Dixon as contractor and Henry Riley as external project managers.

This comes with the support from key partners Parkwood Leisure, Bingham Town Council and funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) subject to signing a grant funding agreement and the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership.

The 5,500sq metre leisure centre development will be known as Bingham Arena.

The adjacent offices ­— the Bingham Enterprise Centre ­— will have 12 offices for small to medium sized businesses over two floors that could create up to 90 jobs.

The new £16m Chapel Lane site, set to open in spring 2022, will aim to operate producing far lower levels of carbon.

This includes 78% carbon emission reduction compared to other leisure centres in the borough and 82% lower carbon for similar office developments.

The site will 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.

Bingham Arena will host a new 25-metre six-lane competition swimming pool with spectator seating for 330 people, teaching pool, fitness centre, spin and exercise studios, café and a community hall with capacity of 300.

The site will offer community, office and leisure development consistent with the Bingham Growth Board’s aspirations to develop the site as part of a key gateway between the current town centre and the growth of its housing developments to the north.

Mr Robinson said: “By next year a new leisure centre and business focal point for Bingham will be created.

“We are delighted Henry Riley and Willmott Dixon are joining us to complete this hugely significant project to provide contemporary facilities Bingham’s growing populations can be proud of.

“The environment is one of our key priorities and these wonderful new facilities will encompass so much of what we aim to achieve with even greener, more efficient venues that will benefit our local communities.

Nick Heath, director of delivery at Willmott Dixon, said: “We are delighted to announce our collaboration with Rushcliffe Borough Council to deliver this high-quality leisure centre facility in Bingham.

“The facility will support the community through the creation of jobs, both within the construction phase and once the project has been completed, and will contribute considerably to the Bingham masterplan’s ambitions, acting as a key conduit to connect the current town to the new local housing developments.

“As a UK Active strategic partner, this contract win expands on our 86 years’ experience in delivering leisure facilities in public and private settings, having delivered more than 160 leisure facilities in the past 11 years.”

The Mayor of Bingham, John Stockwood, said: “We are pleased the project is now under way and by Spring next year the people of Bingham’s wishes for this new site will come to fruition, with great new facilities and a community hall that will provide a great base for people to meet.

“The project over the forthcoming year will provide many apprenticeship and work experience opportunities too and it’s heartening our new generations will be playing their part in the future of a key focal point for the town.”

Henry Riley partner Chris Donachie said: “It is a pleasure to be able to provide project management and quantity surveying services on the Bingham Leisure scheme for our valued client Rushcliffe Borough Council.

“To date, we have assisted during the tender process and will continue to work on the project until its completion. We’re looking forward to working with the council and the project team to deliver what will be a great leisure facility for the community.”

Sajeeda Rose, chief executive at D2N2 LEP said: “We are pleased to be supporting this exciting development in Bingham, the combination of leisure facilities and space for businesses to thrive make this project a real asset for Bingham.

“Carbon reduction is central to D2N2’s Economic Recovery and Growth Strategy, and the measures planned to make the Bingham Leisure and Enterprise centre more carbon efficient will contribute towards supporting the regions ambition towards net-zero.”

Alex Godfrey, operations director at Parkwood Leisure said: "We are thrilled to have been appointed to run the new Bingham Arena.

“This incredible facility will enable us to further improve and enhance the leisure provision for Rushcliffe residents. We look forward to work getting underway and to welcoming the local community to the centre when it opens.”

The council and Toot Hill School are working together to ensure the existing leisure centre site in the town continues to provide outdoor facilities, including the athletics track and hockey pitch, indoor sports halls and courts.