Lichfield Leisure Centre opens to the public

The new Lichfield Leisure Centre has opened its doors to the public at the city’s Stychbrook Park.

Owned by Lichfield District Council, the centre – estimated to have cost around £11m to build – offers a range of amenities and has replaced the ageing Friary Grange leisure centre.

Facilities include a 25m, six-lane variable depth swimming pool; poolside seating and changing village.

A large health club features an 80-station gym floor, indoor cycling studio and dance studio, as well as assessment room, equipment store and a community space.

Outside, the centre features a 3G pitch and changing rooms.

The centre was designed by ReCreation, a company founded by British Olympians – including swimmers Rebecca Adlington OBE and Steve Parry – which provides swimming pools featuring an above-ground design, described as being more affordable than the traditional construction method as it doesn’t require excavation. Stepnell was the selected contractor with GWB Consultants also working on the project.

Environmental sustainability is at the heart of the new facility. The roof of the centre features nearly 400 solar panels, installed through a partnership with Staffordshire Community Energy (SCE). The system is expected to generate around 149,000 kilowatt hours of clean electricity each year – with approximately 90% of the solar utilised on site and 10% sold to the grid to support a community fund.

By producing its own power on site, the centre is estimated to cut its carbon footprint by around 35 tonnes a year.