Contractor limbers up for Newcastle leisure centre

Willmott Dixon’s team in the North East has been appointed to develop a £26M state-of-the-art leisure facility for Newcastle City Council in West Denton.

The company has been procured through Pagabo’s Major Works Framework to build Outer West Leisure Centre after the project received almost £20M from the Government’s Levelling Up Fund.

It will replace the former West Denton Pool and existing All Saints Sports Centre, which have served the local community for over half a century, with a facility that includes a 25m eight- lane swimming pool, a learner pool, splash pad, new library, fitness studios, a café and a gym.

Outer West Leisure Centre is expected to attract over 500,000 visits per year and generate 27 new full-time jobs, while providing training opportunities for local people.

The project will deliver a social return on investment equivalent to 22% of the project value for local people in Newcastle.

Councillor Lesley Storey, the Council’s Cabinet Member for a Vibrant City, with responsibility for leisure, said: “Outer West will offer residents excellent health, community and leisure facilities and become a showcase building for the city with its eight-lane pool, sports hall, and library among other things.

“We have actively encouraged local people to have their say on what they would like to see in the leisure centre, and we now have a proposed building that will cater for people of all interests, ages, and backgrounds. I’d like to thank everyone who took part in the consultation and look forward to the building opening.”