St Albans City and District Council is now developing detailed designs for an integrated £18m leisure centre and adjacent arts facility ready for a planning application this October.
In response to stakeholder feedback the designs aim to provide;
Leisure Centre
- Increased swimming capacity and space for spectators with a larger learner pool, including a movable floor, and 100 spectator seats alongside the main and learner pools.
- A sports hall with space for five badminton courts.
- A larger changing village with more lockers.
- A larger park-facing gym with 160 stations, compared to the current 64, and three studios.
- A steam room and sauna.
- A crèche with an outside area.
- A café that can be accessed by park-only users as well as visitors to the leisure centre.
Arts centre
- A theatre for more than 500 people with partly retractable seating to provide for greater flexibility.
- Three multi-purpose function rooms.
- A performance space.
- A cultural and heritage exhibition space.
- Two bars and refreshment area.
- A ramped entrance with views of the park.
Additional parking is also being planned.
More information about the planned redevelopment of leisure, arts and cultural facilities for Harpenden is available online.
